An early morning collision on Tuesday in Polk County tragically cut one life short, and left a highway closed for several hours. According to the Oregon State Police, the incident involved a heavy-duty farming swather and an eastbound white Toyota 4Runner.
The swather, helmed by 34-year-old Dylan Wyatt Branch from Monmouth, was moving west on Highway 194 when it was struck by the 4Runner driven by 59-year-old Erika Margit Smith of Dallas. Post-impact, the 4Runner was displaced from the roadway, ultimately coming to a halt amidst the trees lining the north shoulder. Smith was declared dead at the scene, while Branch reportedly sustained no injuries.
Oregon State Police responded to the scene around 6:38 a.m. near milepost 5, close to Monmouth. The initial investigation uncovered that the 4Runner collided with the extension arm, or boom, of the swather, causing the fatal crash. The aftermath of the collision forced the closure of the highway for an approximate four-hour duration to allow for the on-scene investigation…