A catastrophic multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 5 in the agricultural region of western Oregon has tragically led to seven fatalities and four injuries on Thursday afternoon, May 18.
A semi-truck driven by Lincoln Clayton Smith of California, left the road at the shoulder and hit a van occupied by 11 people, Mexican farm workers leaving local fields after work. The Ford Econoline van was then propelled into a parked truck and was crushed. All the casualties were in the van; six died at the scene and one at the hospital; the four injured are hospitalized. Smith was arrested and charged with several felonies including manslaughter, reckless driving, and driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Officers from the Oregon State Police responded swiftly to the accident site. As stated in their official release, the crash occurred at approximately 2:05 pm in the northbound lanes of the interstate, about seven miles north of the city of Albany.
Eyewitnesses reported a chilling scene with bodies covered in plastic dispersed across a nearby field. A Life Flight helicopter was observed leaving the crash scene around 2:45 pm.
In order to spare passersby from the disturbing aftermath, authorities covered the van’s wreckage with a blue tarp and erected a barrier near one of the involved trucks.
Adrian Gonzalez, a witness at the scene, shared with a news outlet that the van seemed to be heavily crushed between the two trucks, suggesting an intense impact.
First responders and paramedics immediately began treating injured individuals on site. Two Life Flight helicopters were dispatched to the location to airlift those needing immediate medical care.
After thorough investigation and cleanup procedures, the Interstate 5 northbound lanes were reopened to traffic by Thursday evening.
The tragic event has deeply affected the community of Albany, situated roughly 70 miles (113 kilometers) south of Portland and nestled between Salem and Eugene.
According to the latest statistics from the Oregon Transportation Department, the state has already experienced 159 fatalities from traffic accidents in 2023 alone, following a troubling tally of 600 recorded traffic-related deaths in 2022.
