PHOTO COURTESY OF OSP
High winds and blowing dust contributed to a series of collisions involving multiple vehicles that killed an Idaho man on Interstate 84 near Stanfield Tuesday evening.
Oregon State Police troopers first responded to a report of a crash on I-84 near milepost 193 just after 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Troopers responded to the scene of the collision that involved two commercial trucks and two passenger vehicles. The crash occurred during high winds and visibility was limited due to blowing dust. One vehicle occupant was seriously injured in the crash.
Shortly after, at approximately 6:17 p.m., troopers from the Hermiston worksite also began to investigate several minor motor vehicle collisions that occurred on I-84 eastbound near milepost 192. While troopers were working their way through the minor collisions, they discovered a motor vehicle collision involving 11 total vehicles at that same location. Emergency medical personnel were already on scene. A total of five commercial motor vehicles and six passenger cars were involved in the crash.
Several occupants of the involved vehicles had to be extricated by fire personnel and were transported to hospitals in Hermiston and Pendleton for treatment of injuries. The driver of one commercial motor vehicle, identified as William Hernandez, 47, of Caldwell, Idaho was killed in the collision.
Pendleton Area Command Troopers are being assisted in the investigation by OSP crash reconstructionists. Interstate 84 eastbound remained closed through the night to allow for investigation and cleanup of the crash scene. Agencies assisting at the scene included Fire departments from Hermiston, Echo, Stanfield, Pendleton, as well as Life Flight, Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Umatilla County Office of Emergency Management.
