Victim Identified in Dec 6th Fatal Traffic Crash

Fire personnel responded to the scene to put out what was originally reported as a brush fire, when they discovered the car was on fire.

(ALBANY) - The victim of the December 6th single vehicle fatal traffic accident on I-5 south has been identifired as 24-year old Elena Carmen Flores, from McChord AFB in Washington.

On December 6th at about 9:34 PM, a 2005 Toyota Corolla four-door displaying a Washington license plate was soutbhound on Interstate 5 near milepost 240.

For an unknown reason the car drove off the right shoulder and down a slight embankment, through blackberry bushes and continued about 300 feet before coming to a stop. Initial investigation indicates the car's gasoline tank may have ruptured causing the fire that fully engulfed the car.

Local fire personnel responded to the scene to put out what was originally reported as a brush fire at which point they discovered the car was on fire. The car was heavily damaged.

The driver appears to have been a lone occupant in the car. Elena Flores was positively identified as the victim by the Medical Examiner December 18th.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Albany Area Command office, assisted by the Salem Area Command office and Linn County Medical Examiner, are continuing the investigation.