POLK COUNTY, OR — On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at approximately 6:38 a.m., Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash in Polk County near Monmouth.
The preliminary investigation indicated a farming swather, operated by Dylan Wyatt Branch (34) of Monmouth, was traveling westbound on Highway 194 near milepost 5 when an eastbound white Toyota 4Runner, operated by Erika Margit Smith (59) of Dallas, struck the swather’s boom. The 4Runner left the roadway and came to rest in the trees on the north shoulder.
The operator of the 4Runner (Smith) was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The operator of the swather (Branch) was not injured.
The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation.
OSP was assisted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Monmouth Police Department, Polk Fire District 1, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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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 documenting, investigating, and analyzing complex motor vehicle crashes and crime scenes. They receive specialized training in using 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.
