Nine-vehicle crash on I-5 near Roseburg backs up rush hour traffic

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By KPIC-TV Staff

Story Published: Mar 12, 2010 at 5:51 PM PDT

ROSEBURG, Ore. - No one was seriously injured in a 9-vehicle accident Friday morning on Interstate-5 just south of Roseburg.

Oregon State Police said a car hit standing water on a bridge over the South Umpqua River at milepost 121, about 7:30 a.m. Friday morning, during heaving rush hour traffic. It closed the northbound lanes for nearly an hour.

The accident happened in the work zone where the southbound bridge is being constructed. Troopers said a 2003 Dodge Stratus driven by 20-year-old Angel Borst of Roseburg was northbound in heavy rain, when the car went out of control and hydroplaned. The car struck the median, and 8 more vehicles collided, including a loaded log truck, and two pick-ups pulling travel trailers.

Sgt. Dave Randall of the Oregon State Police office in Roseburg said that's a bad area even in dry weather.

"We're hoping that we can get the word out to the public that if it is raining to take a little extra time. We know that a lot of people were impacted this morning, so OSP along with ODOT and the contractor are doing everything possible to alleviate that standing water problem," said Sgt. Randall.

Randall said the gaps under the barriers on the roadway, had apparently gotten clogged, and that caused water to build up quickly.

"The issue is that those drains are cleared out and then over time they become clogged but we don't realize they're clogged until we get the rain, so it takes a little bit of time to clean those out," said Randall.

One person suffered minor injuries. James Taylor, 68 of Winston, was transported to Mercy Medical Center.

O.D.O.T. officials said their crews cleaned out the the scuppers, which are the drain holes under the barriers. They also planned to put up signs in that area to warn of standing water.

Police remind drivers that it is a construction zone and the speed limit it 55. Fines double if you get a citation in the work zone.

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