A 5-year-old boy was seriously injured in a rollover accident Thursday night on Interstate 84 in Umatilla County. Five other family members suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The accident occurred around 11:30 p.m., when a the driver of a 2003 Chevy Suburban lost control of the vehicle on black ice near milepost 234 west of Meacham. The Suburban was occupied by six family members, including driver Beatriz Murillo of Salem. The vehicle, traveling eastbound, rolled several times, crossing through the median before coming to rest on the westbound shoulder.
The 5-year-old boy, whose name was not available, was not properly restrained and was ejected from the rolling vehicle, and was found seriously injured in the westbound lanes, according to the Oregon State Police. The child was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton before being flown to Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
The other five family members, including Murillo and 44-year-old passenger Lucio Mendoza, were transported by ground ambulance to St. Anthony Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
OSP troopers from the Pendleton Area Command office responded to the scene to investigate. OSP was assisted by Umatilla Tribal EMS, Pendleton EMS, and ODOT. The westbound lanes were closed approximately 1 hour.
OSP and ODOT urge all travelers to remember that proper safety restraint usage is the single most effective way to protect against injuries or death in a motor vehicle crash. The greatest danger to unbelted children and adult occupants is ejection from the vehicle. An unbelted or improperly restrained occupant is five times more likely to be ejected than one who is belted.
The odds of surviving ejection are estimated at one in four – compared to a one in two hundred fatality rate for occupants who remain inside the vehicle. Ejection is the principal reason that minors are prohibited from riding in an open bed of a pickup truck.
For child safety seats, follow the manufacturer’s instructions or attend a free child safety seat clinic (see below for resources). For adults, “proper use” means the lap belt is placed low across hips with the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest over the collarbone. Belts should be free of slack and lying flat with no twists or knots. If the shoulder belt portion of the belt rides up onto the neck or feels uncomfortable, comfort may be increased by using the built-in adjuster or by moving seat position. The shoulder belt should not be placed under the arm or behind the back – this can cause serious internal injuries or ejection in a crash.
