Fatal Crash-Highway 78-Harney County

By Mindy Gould on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

Harney County(Released by Oregon State Police)-On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at approximately 7:45 a.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 78 near milepost 11 in Harney County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a Ford Ranger, operated by Gwendallen Koepke (19), of Princeton, was westbound when it left the westbound shoulder and rolled multiple times, coming to rest on its top.

Koepke was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected during the rollover event. There were patches of ice in the area, suggesting road conditions may have been a contributing factor.

Koepke was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was declared deceased.

OSP was assisted by Harney County Sheriff’s Office, Burns-Fire Department and Harney County EMS.