Dr. Mark E. Baker, a 66-year-old oral surgeon from Pocatello, died Monday night after his vehicle struck an elk on Interstate 15 near the Idaho-Utah border.
Idaho State Police reported that Baker was driving a 2022 BMW Z4 northbound at approximately 9:27 p.m. when the collision occurred south of Malad in Oneida County. Responding agencies, including the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho Transportation Department, worked to clear the scene. The crash partially blocked the freeway for more than three hours.
Baker died at the scene. Investigators have not determined whether he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.
Baker practiced for decades with Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho in Pocatello. Dr. Shawn A. Jepsen will continue providing care for Baker’s current patients following the tragedy.
“Dr. Baker leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond the walls of our practice,” Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho said in a statement.