Two killed in roadside collision in Prospect, sheriff’s office says

Published 10:04 am Sunday, August 3, 2025

Two people died Thursday night when their disabled pickup truck was struck on Mill Creek Road in Prospect, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says.

The fatal collision, which occurred around 10:04 p.m., is now under investigation by the Jackson County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction (STAR) Team, a news release said.

The victims have been identified as 67-year-old Arthur Rowden and 51-year-old Gary Tate, both of Prospect, according to the release, Both men were outside of a 1987 Toyota pickup, which was disabled and had its lights off in the eastbound lane of Mill Creek Road, when it was struck by a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer driven by an 18-year-old Prospect resident. The sheriff’s office said Rowden and Tate died at the scene.

“Emergency Communications of Southern Oregon (ECSO 911) received the initial crash report, dispatching Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies to investigate. Prospect Fire Department personnel were first on scene and confirmed the two-vehicle collision involved fatalities,” the release said. “The surviving driver is cooperating with the investigation. At this time, investigators do not believe speed or impairment were factors in the crash, and no criminal charges have been filed.”

“Our deepest condolences are with the families and friends of those impacted by this tragic event,” the sheriff’s office said.

Next of kin have been notified.

The STAR Team is a multi-agency group of investigators comprised of personnel from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, Ashland Police Department, Central Point Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.