Police Investigate Serious Crashes in Oregon Highway Work Zones (PHOTOS)

Police say the truck crashes are a reminder of the need to be attentive as highway maintenance and construction on the increase

Photograph Source: Oregon State Police

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - In one of two traffic crashes Monday involving vehicles colliding with ODOT maintenance trucks on Interstate 84, Oregon State Police cited a commercial truck driver after he was involved in a non-injury crash east of The Dalles.

The other incident west of Cascade Locks resulted in the death of a pickup driver and more details will be released this evening related to that fatal traffic crash.

According to OSP Senior Trooper Michael Holloran, today at 2:48 p.m. an ODOT 5-yard dump truck with a trailing crash absorber box and illuminated arrow sign was westbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 96 trailing three other ODOT maintenance vehicles.

The ODOT truck operated by 47-year old William Grant Mead of The Dalles, was partially blocking the right westbound lane to protect the other ODOT vehicles. The overhead arrow board was illuminated to direct rear approaching traffic to move left, according to Holloran.

"Approaching westbound from the rear was a 2006 Mack truck pulling two tankers containing ash used to mix concrete. The truck's driver, 66-year old Felix J. Braxton of Portland, reportedly misjudged his clearance and didn't move far enough to the left."

He says the right front of the Mack truck crashed into the left rear crash absorber box.

"After impact, the Mack truck and trailers slid into the center concrete median flattening trailer tires."

The rear tanker punctured, Holloran said, spilling contents onto the freeway as the truck and trailers came to rest blocking the left westbound lane.

A small fire started which was quickly put out by ODOT personnel, and a small diesel spill was also contained.

Neither Braxton or Mead were injured. Both were using safety restraints according to police.

A tow company responded, moving the damaged vehicles to the freeway shoulder while an ODOT sweeper cleaned the highway so traffic could be re-opened by 4:30 p.m.

Senior Trooper Holloran, who works out of the OSP The Dalles Area Command office, cited Braxton, who was driving for Gresham Transfer Inc, for Careless Driving.

In an ODOT news release and safety event earlier this month, Oregonians were asked to remember there will of record levels of highway and bridge work as we approach the time of year when we are used to seeing orange signs, cones and barrels pop up along Oregon's roads.

Governor Kulongoski has proclaimed May as Transportation Safety month. Along with ODOT and OSP, Governor Kulongoski encourages Oregonians to do their part in keeping Oregon's roadways safe.

An average of 465 work zone crashes occurs each year. The majority of people injured or killed in these crashes are drivers, passengers or pedestrians, not workers.

The single biggest factor in crashes is driver inattention; that's why orange cones, variable message signs and other tools are used to alert motorists.

The other major contributing factor is speed, which is why work zones require lower speed limits.