Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
In Oregon, a former North Bend High School football coach died on Friday from injuries he sustained in a motor vehicle crash. Howard Johnson, 72, was declared dead at the accident scene located on Highway 138W near Sutherlin.
Johnson, who is said to be the longest tenured football coach in the school’s history, and Boyd Bjorkquist, the high school’s athletic director, were headed to Sutherlin to watch the team play when the driver of a 2005 Jeep Wrangler lost control of her vehicle and crashed into the 1999 Cadillac Seville that Johnson was driving.
Bjorkquist sustained minor injuries from the crash, and he was treated at Mercy Medical Center for his injuries. The Jeep’s driver, 33-year-old Jennifer Sines, and her two-year-old son were taken to the same hospital for treatment of their non-life-threatening injuries.
Johnson was the Bulldogs’ coach from 1971 to 1992. Following his retirement from coaching, he continued to stay actively involved with North Bend High School. The Oregon State Police, who are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident, say the road conditions were wet at the time of the crash.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 455 motor vehicle accident deaths in Oregon last year—a slight decrease compared to the 478 auto accident deaths that occurred in the state in 2006.
Auto crashes are a leading cause of serious injuries and deaths in the United States. Nationally, there were 41,059 motor vehicle deaths in the US in 2007.
Former North Bend football coach dies in crash, TheWorldLink.com, October 5, 2008
Crash kills former North Bend football coach, KPIC.com, October 5, 2008
Related Web Resources:
2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment – Highlights, NHTSA (PDF)
Oregon Department of Transportation
While insurance companies may try to get you to settle your accident claim even when you don’t know the extent of costs that you will incur for injuries, damage, or losses, it is important that you speak with an Oregon personal injury law firm before reaching an agreement with the other party.
Contact Matthew D. Kaplan, Attorney at Law today.
