Tanner Kolten Henderson, 29, of Gates, was riding his Harley-Davidson east on Highway 226 near milepost 11 last Friday night when everything changed in a second. It was about 9:41 p.m. on July 31. A westbound Ford F-350 slowed to turn south onto Richardson Gap Road and crossed right into his path.
The motorcycle hit the front of the pickup hard. Tanner and the bike left the road and ended up in a ditch. He took fatal injuries right there. Crews pronounced him dead at the scene.
Arthur Vernon Roberts, 77, from Lebanon, was behind the wheel of the pickup. He walked away without a scratch. He stayed put and talked with the officers the whole time.
Oregon State Police lead the investigation. Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation helped out. The highway stayed closed for about two hours while they worked the scene.
Folks in Gates and around Linn County are feeling this one deep. Tanner was just 29. His family and friends keep saying how much he meant to them. The quiet spots where he used to ride feel emptier now.
Support has come in steady from people who knew him. They share stories and check on his family. The case is still open as investigators put the pieces together.
Tanner’s name stays with the people who rode with him and lived near him. The road keeps moving, but the loss sits heavy in this part of Oregon.
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