Bear dies in collision with car on Interstate 84

Published 7:00 pm Wednesday, July 13, 2022

UNION COUNTY — A driver and his passenger were not injured when their vehicle hit and killed a bear about 15 miles west of La Grande on Interstate 84, according to the Oregon State Police.

The incident occurred just before midnight in an eastbound lane of I-84 on Saturday, July 9, when a gray Toyota Tacoma driven by Zach Lee Deiter, 23, collided with a bear that had run onto the roadway near milepost 246.

The crash caused extensive damage to the front right side of the vehicle, which was towed from the scene.