Salem woman dies after driving off the road east of Harrisburg, passenger taken to hospital with minor injuries

Virginia Barreda
Statesman Journal

A Salem woman was found dead Saturday after reportedly driving off the road and landing in a field east of Harrisburg.

Linn County Sheriff's Office deputies said Jamie Michelle Nephew, 51, drove off the road while she was driving a 2011 white Jeep Patriot on Diamond Hill Drive near the intersection of Weatherford Road.

The Jeep hit a culvert, sending it airborne for about 80 feet before landing back on Diamond Hill Drive.

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The vehicle then went into a field. Nephew was able to get off the vehicle but died on the scene.

Deputies arrived on the scene about 10 a.m. and had to cut the seatbelt of passenger Robert Earl Sims Jr., also of Salem, to get him out of the Jeep. 

Sims was transported to Riverbend Medical Center in Springfield with minor injuries.

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Harrisburg Fire District, Coburg Fire District and Linn County Deputy Medical Examiner assisted with the crash and investigation.

Aasum-Dufour Funeral Home out of Albany removed Nephew from the scene. 

Virginia Barreda is the Breaking News Reporter at the Statesman Journal. Contact her at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6657. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.