Dayton Clarke Obituary – Death: In a tragic incident, Dayton Clarke, a former forward of the Kam River Fighting Walleye, has passed away after being hit by a truck in Oregon. Clarke was a part of the Oregon Ducks hockey team at the time of the unfortunate incident.
In a statement released by the Eugene, Oregon police department, it was reported that law enforcement officials were dispatched to the scene of a gravely injured individual found lying in the middle of E. 24th Avenue, situated between Kincaid and Harris streets, at precisely 3:54 a.m. on Saturday.
Upon arrival they discovered the victim had died.
The University of Oregon and the Fighting Walleye both paid tribute to Clarke on social media.
Former Walleye forward Dayton Clarke’s passing has left the community heartbroken. The Fighting Walleye send our sincere condolences to Dayton’s family, friends, and teammates. The Walleye family has suffered a tragic loss and Dayton will forever be in our hearts,” the Walleye posted, hours before they were set to take the ice for their third game of the Centennial Cup in Portage, La Prairie, Man.
The Ducks, in an Instagram post, said the team was devastated to learn of Clarke’s death.
“He was energetic and full of joy. The individual in question was an exceptional hockey player and a valuable member of his team. The Dayton community is being sent love and strength from well-wishers, as they navigate through this difficult time.
Clarke, a native of Victoria, B.C., was acquired by the Fighting Walleye midway through the 2021-22 season from the Elliot Lake Red Wings and put up 10 goals and 15 points in 14 regular season games. He added 10 points in 10 playoff games, leading Kam River to the Superior International Junior Hockey League final.
In the previous season, the Ducks witnessed an impressive performance from him as he managed to score four goals and provide two assists in a total of 11 games.
Police, who have not identified the victim, said a 30-year-old male driver arrived back on scene shortly into their investigation in a large delivery truck to cooperate.
The case is currently being investigated by the major collision investigation team of the Eugene Police Department.
In the coming days, a GoFundMe campaign is anticipated to be initiated.