Nine hurt, 5 seriously, in 20-vehicle pileup on icy I-84

Nine people were injured, five seriously, in a chain-reaction pileup involving 20 vehicles, including seven semi-trucks, Saturday evening on icy Interstate 84 in northeast Oregon’s Umatilla County, Oregon State Police reported Sunday.

Troopers and emergency personnel responded around 6:20 p.m. Saturday to the collisions that closed westbound I-84 at milepost 223 for more than 12 hours, OSP Sgt. Kyle Hove said.

“The preliminary investigation revealed speed and black ice were contributing factors, creating a domino effect” that led to the numerous collisions, Hove said.

The injured were taken by Life Flight helicopter and ambulances to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Pendleton and Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Washington.

Hove said ODOT closed I-84’s westbound lanes until about 8 a.m. Sunday. OSP also was assisted by numerous local agencies from Pendleton and Umatilla County.