Joanne Lee Banzer Death – A fatal collision occurred on Friday afternoon near La Pine, Oregon, resulting in the death of a woman. According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), the incident took place at approximately 12:21 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 31 in Klamath County. The crash involved two vehicles: a southbound Chevy TrailBlazer driven by an 87-year-old individual from Fort Rock, and a northbound Dodge Dart driven by a 22-year-old resident of La Pine.
The Chevy TrailBlazer was attempting to make a left turn onto Highway 31 when it was struck by the Dodge Dart. Both drivers sustained minor injuries, while a passenger in the Trail Blazer, identified as 77-year-old Joanne Lee Banzer, tragically lost her life at the scene. The OSP did not mention whether any citations were issued in relation to the accident, and they stated that road conditions did not seem to be a contributing factor.
The investigation led to a closure of the highway for approximately 3 1/2 hours.