A tragic wrong-way crash on Highway 101 in Coos County has left an 18-year-old woman dead and sparked an active investigation by Oregon State Police. The deadly collision involved a head-on impact after a vehicle entered oncoming traffic near Bandon.
According to Oregon State Police, the crash occurred on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at approximately 2:48 p.m. near milepost 260. Investigators say a white Mercedes E400, driven by 78-year-old Bernard Cooley of Bandon, was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes when the dangerous situation began to unfold.
Authorities reported that the Mercedes nearly collided with both a Bandon Police Department patrol vehicle and another passenger car. A police officer quickly activated emergency lights and turned the patrol car around in an attempt to stop the wrong-way driver. The officer tried to catch up as the situation escalated along the highway.
During the attempt to intervene, the Mercedes struck a southbound guardrail and briefly re-entered the correct lane of travel. Moments later, the vehicle collided head-on with a blue Mazda Mazda3 traveling southbound. The impact caused severe damage and brought traffic to an immediate halt.
The driver of the Mazda, identified as 18-year-old Mariah Mayfield of Coquille, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed that she did not survive the violent crash, leaving her family and community in deep mourning over the sudden loss of a young life.
Cooley, the driver of the Mercedes, was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The highway remained closed for approximately three hours as investigators documented the scene. Oregon State Police say the cause of the crash is still under investigation, with assistance from multiple agencies including the Bandon Police Department and Coos County Sheriff’s Office.