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FATAL CRASH ON HIGHWAY 97 IN DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON

DESCHUTES COUNTY, OR — On Friday, May 23, 2025, at 2:22 p.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97, near milepost 164, in Deschutes County.

The preliminary investigation indicated a 2003 Ford Taurus, operated by Marvin Lee Cudd Jr. (76) of Sunriver, was stopped on the northbound shoulder of Highway 97 facing westbound, perpendicular to the roadway. The Ford began to cross the highway and was struck by a northbound Chevrolet Silverado 2500, operated by Joshua Dale Musick (43) of Christmas Valley, on the driver side door.

The operator of the Ford (Cudd) was declared deceased at the scene.

The operator of the Chevrolet (Musick) suffered minor injuries.

The highway was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation.

OSP was assisted by LaPine Fire, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, and ODOT.

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About the Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) 
The Oregon State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is a specialized unit responsible for investigating fatal and critical injury collisions on Oregon’s highways. The team provides expertise in the documentation, investigation, and analysis of complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in the use of advanced measuring techniques and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) for on-scene investigations. The CRU team includes ACTAR accredited collision reconstructionists and technical collision investigators deployed across the state.