Two Oakridge residents died early Sunday, Feb. 8, when the pickup truck they were traveling in left Highway 58 and struck a tree, Oregon State Police said.

A news release Monday identified the victims as Anais Spring Rowell, 25, and Malia Kana Malo, 24.

Police said Rowell was driving a Toyota Tacoma east on the highway near milepost 40 when the crash occurred. Neither Rowell nor Malo was wearing a seat belt, police said.

The crash was reported to authorities at 1:29 a.m. Sunday. First responders declared Rowell and Malo dead at the scene.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by Oakridge Fire and Emergency Services and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Mike McInally is a Pacific Northwest journalist with four decades of experience in Oregon and Montana, including stints as editor of the Corvallis Gazette-Times and the Albany Democrat-Herald.