Driver killed in cross-over I-5 crash near Albany

A driver was killed Thursday morning when her car crossed the median of Interstate 5 in north Albany and struck an oncoming semi-truck, which in turn crossed the median as well and crashed, Oregon State Police reported.

The crash shut the busy freeway for hours in both directions. Troopers said all lanes were open again by about 3 p.m.

Preliminary information indicates that around 10:40 a.m., a woman’s car was heading north on I-5 near milepost 237 when it traveled into the center median.

The car continued across the median into the southbound lanes, where it collided with a commercial truck pulling a semi-trailer in the right (slow) lane, troopers said.

After impact, the commercial truck and trailer crossed the center median onto the northbound lanes, where it smashed into a concrete barrier.

The truck and trailer came to rest jackknifed across the northbound lanes. The passenger car came to rest in the center median.

The car’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene, OSP said.

The truck driver was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries.

OSP troopers from the Albany Area Command office were investigating the crash with the assistance of a crash investigation inter-agency team comprised of members from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Albany Police Department and Lebanon Police Department.

Additional assistance was provided at the scene by the Albany Fire Department, Jefferson Fire District and ODOT.

Names of the involved drivers will be released after confirmation of next of kin notification, troopers said.