Child Killed After Van Rolls Down Embankment on Highway 101 in Coos County

COOS COUNTY, Ore. — A child died and a driver suffered serious injuries after a van rolled down an embankment along U.S. Highway 101 in Coos County on Monday morning, according to the Oregon State Police.

The crash occurred at approximately 10:07 a.m. on Monday, July 13, near milepost 240, about one mile south of Coos Bay.

According to investigators, a 29-year-old Coos Bay man taylor anthony harris was driving a blue Chevrolet Venture northbound on Highway 101 when the vehicle drifted into the median. Police said the driver then overcorrected, causing the van to cross both northbound lanes before leaving the roadway.

The vehicle rolled down an embankment and eventually came to rest upside down on its roof.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, where the driver was found with serious injuries. He was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

A child who was riding in the van sustained critical injuries. Before emergency personnel arrived, a passerby stopped to help and performed CPR in an effort to save the child’s life. Despite those efforts, the child was transported to a hospital and was later pronounced dead.

Authorities have not publicly released the identities of the driver or the child.

The Oregon State Police said traffic on Highway 101 was not significantly affected during the investigation, and no road closures were necessary.

Several agencies assisted at the scene, including Coos Central Fire and Rescue, Greenacres Fire and Rescue, Bay Cities Ambulance, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Officials have not announced whether speed, impairment, weather, or other factors may have contributed to the incident.

The tragic crash has left the local community mourning the loss of a young life as investigators continue working to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal rollover.