Nine people were injured, several seriously, in a 20-vehicle crash on Interstate 84 Saturday night which closed the highway down for more than 13 hours.
The collisions took place about seven miles east of Pendleton at the top of Cabbage Hill around 6:20 p.m. The Oregon State Police said black ice and speed were contributing factors creating a domino effect with one vehicle colliding into the next.
Investigators estimate that nine people injured in the collisions were transported to area hospitals for treatment and five of those were in serious condition. The OSP said that because of the complexity of the investigation, no names will be released at this time.
The pileup involved seven commercial vehicles and 13 passenger vehicles. Emergency personnel transported the injured by Life Flight and ambulance to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Pendleton and Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.
The OSP was assisted by Pendleton Fire, Umatilla County Fire District 1, Life Flight, Medic 400-Athena, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, Umatilla County Search and Rescue, Umatilla County Emergency Management, Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, Umatilla Tribal Police Department, Oregon Department of Transportation.
ODOT closed Interstate 84 westbound lanes until it was reopened at 8 a.m., on Sunday. The OSP called the investigation into the collisions “extensive and ongoing.”
