Top Surgeon Dies in Freak Car Accident with Elk

A longtime Idaho oral surgeon was killed in a horrifying nighttime crash after his convertible struck an elk on Interstate 15 near the Idaho-Utah border.

Dr. Mark E. Baker, 66, of Pocatello, died at the scene of the Sept. 14 collision, according to Idaho State Police.

The crash happened around 9:27 p.m. as Baker was driving a 2022 BMW Z4 northbound on I-15 near milepost 0.3 in Oneida County, just north of Portage, Utah.

Police said an elk was in the roadway when Baker’s car collided with it. Authorities have not said what caused the animal to enter the highway or whether Baker had time to react.

Baker was pronounced dead at the scene.

Idaho State Police said it was not known whether he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.

The collision created a major disruption on the interstate. Both northbound lanes were blocked for roughly an hour while emergency crews worked at the scene. The right lane eventually reopened, while the left lane remained closed for another two and a half hours.

Idaho State Police was assisted by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County EMS and the Idaho Transportation Department.

Oneida County Coroner Brad Horsely later identified the victim as Baker, a well-known oral and maxillofacial surgeon who had spent years treating patients throughout southeast Idaho.

Baker practiced with Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho, which operates offices in Pocatello and Blackfoot.

The practice announced his sudden death in an emotional tribute, remembering Baker not only as a skilled doctor but as a mentor and friend whose influence extended throughout the community.

“To his patients, he was a trusted surgeon who brought compassion, kindness, and dedication to every person he treated,” the practice said.

The office said Baker’s longtime colleague, Dr. Shawn A. Jepsen, will continue caring for patients who had been undergoing treatment with Baker.

Baker’s career stretched well beyond routine dental work.

According to his professional biography, he was board-certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry before completing his residency at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis.

His practice said he treated generations of southeast Idaho families and performed procedures ranging from dental implants and wisdom-tooth extractions to reconstructive and corrective jaw surgery.

Outside the operating room, Baker was known for his love of hunting, skiing and the outdoors.

He also served on the board of Idaho Condor, an organization that has sent Idaho doctors and dentists to Peru to provide humanitarian care in indigenous communities, according to his practice.

News of his death prompted an outpouring of tributes from former patients, colleagues and members of the local dental community.

His practice said Baker left behind a legacy that reached “far beyond the walls” of the office and described him as a physician deeply committed to serving others.

The fatal crash also highlights a danger Idaho transportation officials have been working to reduce for years.

The Idaho Transportation Department says the state averages approximately 1,010 crashes involving wildlife on highways and interstates each year. In most years, between one and four people are killed in those collisions.

Large animals such as elk can make those crashes particularly dangerous because of their size. Federal transportation research has found that collisions involving larger animals such as elk and moose are far more likely to cause substantial vehicle damage than crashes involving smaller wildlife.

Idaho has increasingly invested in wildlife crossings, fencing and other measures designed to keep animals away from traffic. Transportation officials say wildlife collision hot spots have been documented along every interstate, U.S. highway and state highway in Idaho.

The state is currently completing several wildlife-crossing projects, including new underpasses and fencing in southeastern Idaho intended to reduce crashes along major animal migration routes.

For Baker’s patients and colleagues, however, the statistics tell only part of the story.

Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho said the doctor who spent much of his career helping others would remain a permanent part of the practice he helped build.

“He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever a part of the Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho family,” the practice said.