Highway 62 Head-On Collision Claims Life of Shady Cove Man and Leaves Another Injured

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. — Tributes to 72-year-old John Steven Renfro, and prayers for the injured driver of the second vehicle involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash on Tuesday on Highway 62 in Shady Cove have appeared on social media platforms.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies responded to an ECSO Dispatch call for a head-on collision at 2:18 PM on Tuesday, involving multiple vehicles in the 20000 block of Highway 62.

A fatal motor vehicle crash occurred on Tuesday, September 9. Deputies arrived with Jackson County Fire District 4 and Mercy Flights. One driver, Renfro, was deceased, and another was in serious condition.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a Toyota Tundra, operated by Renfro, crossed over the centerline for unknown reasons while traveling northbound on Highway 62 near Cindy Way in Shady Cove. The Tundra struck a southbound Dodge Durango head-on.

The Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team and JCSO Medical Examiners responded to investigate, while a Mercy Flights helicopter took the injured patient to a local hospital, where they remain in stable condition.