Driver killed, 2nd seriously hurt when log truck blows engine, leaves oil slick in Hwy. 126 tunnel in Lane County

MAPLETON, Ore. (KTVZ) -- One driver was killed and a second seriously injured Tuesday when a log truck had its engine fail and left a 200-yard oil slick in a tunnel on Highway 126 in Lane County, Oregon State Police reported.

Troopers responded around 3:15 p.m. to the four-vehicle crash on the highway near milepost 19.

OSP said a preliminary investigation found that a westbound Kenworth log truck driven by Billy Lee Bales Coder, 50, of Myrtle Point, was passing through the Knowles Creek Tunnel when a catastrophic engine failure caused an oil spill approximately 200 yards long before the vehicle exited the tunnel and parked alongside the roadway. 

A westbound Nissan Rogue driven by Mary Helen Dale, 65, of Florence, lost control in the oil slick and crashed into the Kenworth before moving off of the highway. 

A westbound Toyota Prius driven by Radiant Jaime Gaines, 48, of Eugene, also lost control in the oil slick, crossed into the eastbound lane and struck an eastbound Chevrolet HHR, driven by Christine Dorene Weathers, 59, of Florence head-on.

Weathers was pronounced dead at the scene, OSP said, while Gaines was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. The drivers of the log truck and Nissan were not injured, troopers said.

The highway was impacted for about 9 1/2 hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by Western Lane Ambulance and Fire, Mapleton Fire and ODOT.