Salem, Ore. — A 64-year-old Salem man was killed in a traffic collision in the 2000 block of Lancaster DR NE just north of Sunnyview RD on Monday night, October 9.
Emergency responders were called to the area at approximately 10:00 p.m. on the report of a man struck by the driver of a sedan as he walked across Lancaster DR. The pedestrian, Ronald Bert Olbekson, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Salem Police Traffic Team responded, and their preliminary investigation revealed Olbekson was walking eastbound across Lancaster DR outside the marked crosswalk when he was struck by the car which was traveling northbound.
The driver, 20-year-old Daniel Chavarria Gaytan, and a 16-year-old passenger were uninjured in the collision. Gaytan remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
No citations have been issued or an arrest made as the investigation is ongoing.
Lancaster DR was closed to north and southbound travel for almost four hours for the collision investigation.
Year-to-date, the Salem Police Department has investigated 11 fatal traffic collisions resulting in 12 deaths.
# # #
