The front end of her truck was crushed inward, metal twisted around a life that had just been lost. **Heather Renee Leach**, 37, was driving east on **Highway 42** late Tuesday morning when tragedy struck without warning. According to the Oregon State Police, her **Chevrolet 1500** crossed the center line near **milepost 27**, colliding head-on with a westbound **Ford F-350**. The impact was violent—so strong that debris scattered across both lanes and into the roadside brush.
Emergency crews arrived within minutes, but there was little they could do. Heather was pronounced **dead at the scene**. The two occupants of the Ford, **Nicholas Glenn Taylor** and **Holly Helene Taylor**, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities closed Highway 42 in both directions for over two hours while investigators documented the scene and cleared the wreckage.
State troopers are still piecing together what caused Heather’s truck to drift into oncoming traffic. Weather conditions were clear at the time, and officials have not yet determined whether fatigue, distraction, or a medical emergency played a role. Toxicology testing and a full crash reconstruction are underway.Friends and family have described Heather as a bright, hardworking woman with a kind heart and a deep love for her family.
She had built her life in the community and was known for helping others without hesitation. The sudden loss has left her loved ones reeling, struggling to comprehend how an ordinary morning drive turned into irreversible tragedy.As investigators search for answers, the community is rallying to support both families affected. A memorial with flowers and crosses now marks the crash site—a silent reminder of a life gone too soon and the fragile line between every journey’s beginning and its end.
