Former Oregon college basketball player killed in Texas car crash
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A former Chemeketa Community College basketball player was killed in a car crash in Texas in mid-September.
Owen Hopkins, 19, grew up in Jefferson and graduated from West Albany High School in June 2025.
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Hopkins died Sept. 12 outside Carthage, Texas. He was traveling from Indiana to Corpus Christi to visit friends, his parents said in an email interview with The Statesman Journal.
"He was working, traveling, taking opportunities when they came, meeting people and figuring out who he wanted to be," his parents said. "He wasn't afraid to go out and experience life."
Hopkins's parents describe him as a shooting star ― he came into the world bright, moved fast and made an impact on many in a short amount of time.
"He had this energy about him that people remembered," his parents said.
Hopkins' family moved to Millersburg in 2020 and Hopkins attended Crosshill Christian School in Turner for eighth grade.
They moved to Albany and Hopkins attended West Albany High School, where he played on the varsity basketball team until his graduation.
He loved sports and tried them all, but basketball was the one that stuck, his parents said. He started playing competitive basketball in fourth grade and never stopped.
Owen loved anything sports-related in school.
"He loved the game, the ball, the comradery, the competitiveness, the fast paced environment and surprising people with his shooting ability," his parents said.
Hopkins was part of The PAC family back when it was called Youth Stars, his parents said. He played in Hoop Jam and Hoopla every summer and won both for his age group and bracket, his parents said.
"Owen will always be family. Owen was a special talent and even a greater human. From league honors to coaching unified YMCA to helping our young athletes find their potential," The PAC said in a post on Sept. 13. "His name, his memories, his friendships, and the years we were blessed to have with him are woven into the foundation of who we are."
Hopkins was voted WaFd Bank Oregon Boys Basketball Player of the Week Feb. 28, 2024.
He coached kids basketball at the Albany YMCA, his parents said. Hopkins also worked for Albany Parks and Recreation at the Cool Pool or Waverly Lake in the summers.
Hopkins loved the outdoors and camping, his parents said. He went camping every summer since he was two months old.
Hopkins graduated high school in June 2025. Two days after graduation, he was in an ATV accident near Green Peter Reservoir, his parents said. He had to be airlifted to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend in Springfield where he spent two weeks in recovery.
He fully recovered and played one season at Chemeketa Community College in 2025, his parents said. He played as a guard, according to the Northwest Athletic Conference.
"He was at the point in life where the whole world was opening up in front of him," his parents said. "He was a believer in Jesus Christ and loved sharing that with people and talking to people about God."
At the time of his death, Hopkins was working, traveling, meeting new people and figuring out who he wanted to be, his parents said.
"Owen was smart, friendly, empathetic, athletic, funny, handsome, he had dreams of being successful in his sales career and having a family of his own," his parents said.
A number of Albany businesses held fundraisers in memory of Owen and to support his family including Southpaws Pizza and Sports Bar, Easton's Barbershop, Killer Burger, according to posts on Facebook.
At the time of his death, Hopkins had finished his season with Aptive Environmental Pest Control working in door to door sales selling pest control, his parents said.
"It was an amazing opportunity for him to gain skills and learn sales," his parents said. "He was doing great and loving it and he was happy."
He lived big, loved his friends, family and pets, his parents said.
Katie Livermore covers public safety and breaking news for the Statesman Journal. Livermore can be reached at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Former Oregon college basketball player killed in Texas car crash