COOS COUNTY, OR - On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 11:57 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a two-vehicle crash on Hwy 101, near milepost 255, in Coos County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a northbound GMC Sierra, operated by Nickolos Hastings Barker (40) of Bandon, crossed the center line for unknown reasons and struck a southbound Ford F-250 and trailer, operated by Michael Guarino (49) of Bandon, head-on.
The operator of the Ford (Guarino) was ejected from the vehicle and declared deceased at the scene.
The operator of the GMC (Barker) was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital.
The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Bandon Police Department, Bandon Fire Department, Coquille Police Department, Coos 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.
