Semi hits disabled SUV along I-84, ends up partly in river
A semi struck a disabled SUV on the shoulder of Interstate 84 east of Portland Monday evening, sending the truck through a guardrail, down an embankment and partially into the Columbia River, Oregon State Police reported.
The semi driver and two people in the car were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Troopes responded around 5:15 p.m. to the reported crash on westbound I-84 near milepost 23, just east of Corbett, OSP Sgt. Kaipo Raiser said.
It was reported the semi had left the roadway, crashed through the guardrail and rolled down a steep embankment, landing on its side along the shore of the Columbia.
An initial investigation determined the 2015 International Prostar commercial motor vehicle was driven by Suzanne Brault, 52, of Quebec, Canada.
Troopers said Brault had been driving in the slow lane of the freeway but left her lane and went onto the shoulder, checking her side mirror as she prepared to move into the left (fast) lane, Raiser said.
Brault’s rig struck a parked 1995 Chevy Tahoe that had run out of gas and was disabled along the road shoulder.
The Tahoe had been driven by Patrick Sheehan Jr., 53, of Portland with his passenger, Addison Blackmon III, 47, also of Portland.
After striking the Tahoe, Brault’s tractor and traile,r loaded with food supplies, crashed through the guardrail and traveled down a steep embankment, rolling onto its passenger side along the river’s shoreline.
KGW reported two bystanders waded into the water and helped the driver from the semi. All three people were out of the two vehicles when OSP arrived.
Brault was taken by ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center In Portland with non-life-threatening injuries, while the car’s two occupants were taken to Oregon Health and Sciences University with minor or non-life-threatening injuries, Raiser said.
The crash and investigation restricted the westbound freeway to one lane for about three hours.
Raiser said motorists can expect intermittent lane closures and traffic restrictions Tuesday as the semi trailer is removed.
