Oregon State Police - 05/30/25 3:25 PM
JEFFERSON COUNTY, OR - On Thursday, May 29, 2025, at 7:01 a.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 26, at the intersection with Dover Lane, in Jefferson County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Dodge Ram 2500 and trailer, operated by Aaron Christopher Chappel (22) of Bend, began making a left hand turn onto Dover Lane when a southbound Harley Davidson motorcycle, operated by Scott Anthony Pradmore (36) of Madras, attempted a pass on the left side of the Dodge. The Harley Davidson struck the trailer as the Dodge made the left turn onto Dover Lane.
The operator of the Harley Davidson (Pradmore) was declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the Dodge (Chappel) was not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately two hours during the on-scene investigation. An unsafe pass is considered the primary cause of the crash.
OSP was assisted by the Jefferson 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.
