LifeFlight Responds to Crash Near McMinnville

Highway conditions were reported as wet with light rain falling.

Photo of crash scene: Oregon State Police

(MCMINNVILLE, Ore.) - Three people were injured, including two who were taken by LifeFlight with serious injuries, in a three vehicle collision Tuesday morning at the intersection of Highway 18 and SE Lafayette Highway east of McMinnville.

Oregon State Police Sergeant Brad Hessel says that at approximately 10:25 AM, a 1996 Mercury four-door sedan driven by 19-year old Laney Stephens of Independence, was stopped on SE Lafayette Highway waiting to cross Highway 18 from south to north.

Hessel says that as the vehicle proceeded across Highway 18, it was struck in the passenger side by an unloaded westbound 1996 Peterbuilt truck driven by 27-year old Eric Nuttbrock of Sandy.

After impact, the Peterbuilt truck came to a stop in a ditch on the westbound shoulder. The Mercury spun around and struck a 2006 Ford pickup stopped at the intersection.

Stephens and her passenger, 18-year old David Watson of Salem, were seriously injured. Both were using safety restraints. Stephens was taken by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where she is reported in critical condition. Watson was taken by LifeFlight to Oregon Health Sciences University.

Nuttbrock was using safety restraints and received non-life threatening injuries. He was transported by ambulance to Newberg Providence Hospital.

The Ford pickup's driver, 78-year old Ernest Eood of Salem was using safety restraints and was not injured. He was able to drive his pickup from the scene.

OSP troopers from the McMinnville Area Command office are continuing the investigation with assistance from the Yamhill County Multi-Agency Traffic Team that included officers from Yamhill County Sheriff's Office, Newberg Police Department, and McMinnville Police Department.

Personnel from Dayton and McMinnville fire departments assisted at the scene. ODOT handled traffic control and helped at the scene while the highway was closed about 2 1/2 hours. Highway conditions were reported as wet with light rain falling.