Tragedy on Hwy 101: Impaired Driver's Wild Curve Ends in Death and Destruction

A two-vehicle crash on Oregon’s Highway 101 in Douglas County left one person dead and several others injured, according to OSP.Photo byStock Image

By Kristy Tallman, September 17, 2024

Douglas County, Oregon - A two-vehicle crash on Oregon’s Highway 101 in Douglas County left one person dead and several others injured, according to Oregon State Police.

The crash occurred on Sept. 13, 2024, near milepost 202. Investigators said a Ford F-150, driven by Robin Miles Bihm, 26, of Coos Bay, was traveling south when it failed to negotiate a left-hand curve, veered onto the shoulder, overcorrected, and entered the northbound lane. The Ford collided head-on with a Toyota Tundra driven by Alan Kent Mcilhenny, 72, of Tonasket, Washington.

Bihm was seriously injured and transported to a local hospital. Mcilhenny and his passengers, Barbara Jean Mcilhenny, 74, James Otis Wells, 79, and Margaret Ann Wells, 76, all of Tonasket, also suffered serious injuries. Margaret Wells later died at the hospital.

Authorities said impairment is being investigated as a possible cause. The highway was closed for approximately three hours while authorities conducted an on-scene investigation. Oregon State Police were assisted by the Gardiner Fire Department, Reedsport Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The investigation is ongoing.

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By Kristy Tallman, September 17, 2024
The Republic News

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