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67 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, June 22, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 18, 2004 An elderly driver was hurt and her husband killed when their car plunged through a fence and over an embankment Thursday morning onto the deck at Ashland Creek Bar & Grill between North Main Street and Lithia Way. Man, 84, dies when car lands on deck Victim’s wife, 81, lost control and the car left the road and landed upside-down at a creekside Ashland restaurant By BILL CHOY Mail Tribune ASHLAND — An 84-year-old Ashland man died Thursday morning when the car he was in veered off the roadway and went over an embankment onto the deck of the Ashland Creek Bar & Grill in downtown. The man was identified on Thursday afternoon as Alfred Behrsin. Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Nellie Behrsin, 81, Alfred’s wife, was at a stop sign on Church Street attempting to make a right turn onto North Main Street, said Ashland police Sgt. Jim Alderman. For unknown reasons, she kept pushing the accelerator and lost control of the car, which went onto the sidewalk on North Main, crashed through a fence and went over a 15- to 20-foot embankment, coming to rest on its roof on the deck of the bar and grill, Alderman said. Alfred Behrsin was pronounced dead at the scene. Nellie Behrsin had minor injuries and was talking to rescue crews as she was being extricated from the car, said Ashland Fire & Rescue Chief Keith Woodley. They were both wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Advertisement She was transported to Providence Medford Medical Center for overnight observation, Alderman said. "It’s mainly emotional," he said. "She was pretty shaken-up by what happened." It was fortunate there was no other injuries sustained in the collision, Alderman said. "We were lucky there weren’t any pedestrians around," he said. "It’s a pretty busy area and there’s a lot of people walking on the sidewalk. It could have been a lot worse." Ashland Creek owner Peter Hunkele was inside getting ready for his 11 a.m. opening at the time of the collision. "I heard a big crash and thought it was an accident on North Main," he said. An employee was next to the deck when the car crashed about 15 feet away from him. "He came in and told us to call 911," Hunkele said. "I came outside and saw the car overturned. I was kind of shocked, and the way it looked I was concerned for the people inside the car." Customers often have lunch in that area, but they usually prefer to sit near the creek that runs next to the bar and grill on the other side of the deck. "We were very fortunate about the time of day it happened," Hunkele said. "If this happened on the weekend or on the Fourth of July it would have been a disaster." Ashland Creek was closed for lunch, but reopened for dinner Thursday. Hunkele estimated damage to his property at about $2,000. Bill Choy is a reporter for the Mail Tribune and the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times