Two Die as Truck Carrying Six Slams Into Semi

Police say the driver of a commercial truck in a ditch and blocking the road, tried in vain to warn the approaching vehicle.

Photo od crash scene: Oregon State Police

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers are investigating a Friday morning fatal traffic crash that took the lives of two people on Highway 99E about three miles north of Salem.

The two Hispanic male victims have not been positively identified. Names of the others involved in this crash are being released.

OSP Sergeant Dale Young says Friday at approximately 6:02 a.m., a report was received of a commercial truck in a ditch blocking Highway 99E near Barbara Avenue NE north of Salem.

"Within 3 minutes a second report was received of a serious traffic crash at that location. Emergency responders arrived and confirmed two people were killed and two others trapped in a pickup," Young said.

He says the preliminary investigation indicates that a 2005 Kenworth truck pulling a loaded semi-trailer was being operated northbound on Highway 99E near milepost 43 by 33-year old Troyce L McGill of Payette, Idaho when it missed a turn for a delivery in the Salem area.

"McGill was attempting to turn around to go southbound at the intersection with Scott Avenue NE when the truck slid into the ditch on the west side of the highway and became stuck."

Young says the semi-trailer was stopped across both Highway 99E lanes of travel. Conditions were described as dark with heavy fog.

McGill was reportedly standing outside on the south side of the truck to warn any approaching traffic when his trailer was struck on the north side by a southbound 1992 Chevrolet S-10 pickup with six occupants.

The pickup crashed into the right center side of the semi-trailer and was partially lodged underneath.

Young says the pickup's male driver and male right front passenger were deceased at the scene.

Two passengers seated in the space between the front seats and the pickup bed was trapped. Two women; 39-year Benito Santos-Candido and 36-year old Gudelia Amiltempa, both of Woodburn, were extricated by Keizer Fire Department personnel and transported by ambulance to Salem Hospital with serious injuries.

Young says two other male passengers in the pickup's bed were ejected along with the bed's canopy cover. 24-year old Pauble Rosas-Gonzalez of Woodburn and 24-year old Luis Miguel Alarcon-Abarca whose residence is unknown, initially refused medical transport.

About four hours after the crash, both reported feeling injured and were transported to Salem Hospital by ambulance. Neither McGill or 44-year old Coleen Koehn of Hazelton, Idaho, a female passenger seated in the truck, were injured according to Young. ] OSP troopers and crash reconstructionists from the Salem Area Command office are continuing the investigation. No enforcement action has been taken pending the ongoing investigation.

Keizer Police Department, Keizer Fire Department, and ODOT Motor Carrier Enforcement Division assisted at the scene. Highway 99E was closed in both directions until about 10:30 a.m. ODOT handled traffic control and detour responsibilities.