Fatal I-5 Crash Near Ashland Leaves One Dead and One Hospitalized After Honda Hits Parked Semi

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — A fatal two-vehicle crash in Jackson County near Ashland on Tuesday at about 2:50 p.m. led to the death of a passenger after a black Honda Civic, driven by 68-year-old Terielizabeth Smead of Lemon Grove (CA), careened into a Freightliner semi-truck and trailer parked on the shoulder of the I-5.

The Oregon State Police (OSP) preliminary investigation indicates that the Honda was traveling northbound on Interstate 5 near milepost 4 before Smead left her lane of travel and struck the Freightliner operated by 30-year-old Shekib Hakimi of Carmichael, (CA).

The Honda passenger, 74-year-old Harry Smead of Lemon Grove (CA), died on the scene, and the driver, Terielizabeth Smead, was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The Freightliner operator was not injured.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Fire and Rescue, Jackson County District Attorney’s Office, Jackson County Medical Examiner, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted OSP. The highway was closed for about five hours for investigation on the scene.