Newly married couple dies in tragic accident while returning from honeymoon and colliding with jackknifed vehicle

A young couple lost their lives after their vehicle collided with a jackknifed truck while returning from their honeymoon in Oregon. On November 25, William Micah Carter, 25, and Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, were involved in a fatal crash on Highway 20 in Deschutes County, authorities reported.

Emergency responders found that a commercial truck and trailer, driven by 32-year-old Rajinder Kumar, was stopped across both lanes in a jackknifed position. Carter, driving a westbound Subaru Outback, crashed into the trailer at highway speeds around 9:30 p.m.

Officials noted that the darkness and absence of active warning signals contributed significantly to the accident. Both Carter and Lower were pronounced dead at the scene, and the highway remained closed for approximately seven hours during the investigation.

According to Lowers father, Tom Lower, the couple had been married for just 16 days. Following their wedding on November 8, they visited Disneyland before beginning their drive back to Salem, where they planned to settle.

Kumar was reportedly unharmed and was arrested on charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. He was taken to the Deschutes County Jail. Authorities later revealed that Kumar is facing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, accused of entering the U.S. illegally three years ago at the Arizona border.

Deschutes County Judge Randy Miller approved a request to raise Kumar's bail from $100,000 to $250,000. Deputy District Attorney Caleb Staats also requested that Kumar be prohibited from leaving the state, with potential for more serious charges in the future. Lowers father expressed to the court that the incident was a terrible tragedy and that justice should be pursued.

Author: Gavin Porter