Arthur Vernon Roberts, 77, of Lebanon, was driving his Ford F-350 west on Highway 226 near milepost 11 around 9:41 p.m. on Friday, July 31. He slowed to make a south turn onto Richardson Gap Road. That move put him square in the path of an eastbound Harley-Davidson.
The motorcycle struck the front of the truck. Rider Tanner Kolten Henderson, 29, of Gates, and his bike went off the road into a ditch. Henderson suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead right there.
Roberts himself had no injuries. He stayed at the scene and cooperated fully with the officers who arrived.
Oregon State Police are handling the investigation. They got help from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Lebanon Fire District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The road was shut down for roughly two hours while the work went on.
The crash has left the Gates community and Henderson’s circle hurting. Roberts remains part of the ongoing look into what happened on that stretch of highway.
Details are still being sorted. No other injuries were reported. The pickup had blocked the intersection after the impact.
This stretch of Highway 226 in Linn County saw a quick and final end to a young rider’s night. Investigators continue their work with the facts they have.
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