Salem Woman Causes Minor Accident Driving Wrong Way on I-5

Sarah C. Ramage from Salem faces a long list of charges.

Photo: Oregon State Police

(EUGENE, Ore. ) - A Salem-area woman is being charged in Douglas County following a wrong way driver-involved minor injury crash on Interstate 5 near the Curtain interchange Thursday night.

Investigators are looking into information that this may have been an intentional act to harm herself by driving the wrong way on the freeway.

The woman, who police say was intoxicated, received minor injuries, and was cited on multiple charges while at a Eugene-area hospital.

At approximately 9:20 PM, a green 1998 Mazda 626 driven by 39-year-old Sarah C. Ramage, from southeast Salem, was southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 163 when it collided with a 1992 Ford Taurus in the left northbound lane.

A third vehicle, a 2000 Chevrolet Metro, was northbound in the right lane and was able to avoid the other vehicles but did receive minor damage from striking debris.

Ramage was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

She was cited to appear for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII), Reckless Driving, and two counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person.

The Ford Taurus driver, 23-year-old Edwin Cruger III, from Roseburg, was checked at the scene for possibly injuries but did not require medical transport.

The Chevrolet driver, 66-year-old Douglas Russell, from Springfield, was not injured.

Safety restraint use information is not available.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Roseburg Area Command office are continuing the investigation.

ODOT, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Drain Fire Department and Cottage Grove Fire Department assisted at the scene.

Northbound traffic was reduced to shoulder travel for about two hours.