Respected Pocatello oral surgeon dies after hitting an elk near Idaho-Utah border
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POCATELLO – The Oneida County Coroner has identified the man who died near the Idaho-Utah border after a collision with an elk as a respected oral surgeon in Pocatello.
Coroner Brad Horsely identified the man as Dr. Mark Baker, 66, of Pocatello.
According to the Idaho State Police, the crash happened around 9:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 north of Portage, Utah.
Baker was driving a 2022 BMW Z4 north when he collided with an elk on the road. Baker died at the scene.
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Both northbound lanes of I-15 were blocked for about an hour while emergency crews responded. The right lane then reopened, while the left lane remained closed for another two and a half hours.
Idaho State Police is investigating the crash.
Community remembers cherished oral surgeon
According to a Facebook post from the Oral Surgery Specialists of Idaho, where Baker worked, he was “a trusted surgeon who brought compassion, kindness, and dedication to every person he treated.”
“To his team, he was a respected colleague, mentor, and friend. To the community, he was a physician who believed deeply in serving others,” says the post by his colleagues. “Dr. Baker leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond the walls of our practice. The lives he touched, the patients he cared for, and the relationships he built will continue to be a lasting part of his story.”
The practice says Dr. Shawn A. Jepsen will be taking over for Dr. Baker in continuing to care for his patients after his untimely death.
“Dr. Baker leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond the walls of our practice. The lives he touched, the patients he cared for, and the relationships he built will continue to be a lasting part of his story,” says the post. “We are grateful for the years we shared with Dr. Baker and for the countless ways he made a difference in the lives of others.”