Car Plows Underneath Semi in Serious Injury Crash (PHOTOS)

Police say it happened on Highway 99W at Clow Corner Road.

Photos of crash scene: Oregon State Police

(DALLAS, Ore.) - Police say a Salem-area man was seriously injured Friday afternoon when the car he was driving crashed into the side of a turning commercial trailer on Highway 99W at Clow Corner Road in Polk County.

According to Oregon State Police Trooper Michael Rockwell, the crash happened Friday at approximately 12:46 p.m.

A 2002 Freightliner pulling an unloaded semi-trailer operated by 52-year old Jeffrey Morris of Molalla, reportedly stopped on Clow Corner Road to turn northbound onto Highway 99W.

Rockwell says that as a second commercial vehicle began to turn from southbound Highway 99W onto Clow Corner Road, Morris began to a left turn onto Highway 99W northbound.

That is when a southbound 1991 Cadillac driven by 66-year old Ronald Smith of Salem, trailing the other commercial vehicle, crashed into the side of Morris'' semi-trailer and became lodged underneath it.

Mr. Smith was seriously injured and trapped in his car, Rockwell said.

Fire personnel from Polk County Fire District #1, Dallas Fire Department, and SW Polk Fire District responded and worked to extricate Mr. Smith from his car.

He was transported by air ambulance to Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis for treatment. He was using safety restraints and his car's airbag deployed.

Morris was using safety restraints and was not injured. Trooper Rockwell cited Morris for Dangerous Left Turn.

The intersection was closed about 90 minutes. Dallas Ambulance and ODOT assisted at the scene.