Two drivers hit elk on I-84 near Baker City, one injured

Two drivers hit and killed elk in separate crashes on Interstate 84 near Baker City, turning one stretch of freeway into a double wildlife collision scene in a single day.

The first crash happened about 7:07 a.m. in the westbound lanes near Milepost 314, about 10 miles southeast of Baker City. Oregon State Police identified the driver as Dallas Burt, 19, of Colville, Washington. Burt was driving a Chevrolet Cobalt. The elk died at the scene, but Burt was not seriously hurt.

Hours later, another westbound driver struck a second elk near Milepost 308 at about 9:36 p.m. Oregon State Police identified that motorist as Elsa Christine Burke, 56, of Tenino, Washington. Burke was driving a Mazda 323 and suffered minor injuries after the air bag deployed. She was taken by ambulance to a motel in Baker City.

The two crashes underscored how quickly wildlife can become a hazard on I-84 through Baker County, especially on long open freeway segments where animals can move onto the roadway with little warning. Even when drivers escape major injury, elk strikes can leave vehicles disabled, create debris in travel lanes and raise the risk of follow-up collisions.

State wildlife officials say the danger is not limited to Baker County. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says collisions with deer and elk tend to peak in October and November, when migration and breeding increase animal movement. The agency says Oregon Department of Transportation documents more than 6,000 vehicle collisions with deer and elk each year, with many more likely going unreported when damage is minor.

Transportation officials have tried to reduce that risk with wildlife corridors and crossings designed to help animals move safely across roads and cut down on vehicle-wildlife collisions. ODOT says its wildlife passage program began in 2012. In a 2024 legislative report, the agency said it had built three wildlife passage projects that resulted in five wildlife undercrossings designed for deer and elk.

The crashes also show how Oregon State Police tracks highway hazards. Crash reports record the time of day, location and injury status, while the agency’s monthly patrol activities map includes crashes and calls for service. For drivers heading through Baker County, the practical message is plain: stay alert on I-84, especially in low light, because elk movement remains a real and immediate threat on this corridor.