PHOTO COURTESY OF OSP
A collision involving a motorcycle and a vehicle in Milton-Freewater has sent three people to the hospital.
According to Oregon State Police Sgt. Sterling Hall, troopers from the Pendleton Area Command investigated a two-vehicle collision on Highway 11 at Crockett Road in Umatilla County just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday. A 2003 Suzuki SV 1000 motorcycle, operated by Mitchell Alexander Goodwin, 19, of Milton-Freewater, was traveling southbound on Hwy Highway 11 at MP 33.5 in the fast lane prior to the crash.
A 2012 Chevrolet Captiva SUV operated by Rachel Lynn Ruchert, age 59, of Walla Walla, attempted a left hand turn onto Highway 11 from West Crockett Road (turning northbound), when it collided with the motorcycle.
Goodwin was transported to Saint Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla for serious injuries. He was subsequently taken to Oregon Health and Sciences University by air ambulance. Ruchert and her passenger, Laurie S. Massey, 49, of Walla Walla, were also taken to Saint Mary Medical Center for minor injuries.
Highway 11 was closed for four hours while the investigation was conducted. Contributing factors are still be investigated. OSP was assisted by Milton-Freewater Rural Ambulance, the Milton-Freewater Police Department and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
