Rash of crashes reported
From our weekly issue dated December 31, 2008
Inclement weather contributed to several traffic accidents in Illinois Valley during the past week. They included (above) a roll-over at milepost 19 of Hwy. 199; and a head-on collision on 199 at ‘first bridge’ on the south side of Cave Junction. Story on page 11. (Photos by Dale & Elaine Sandberg, Illinois Valley Fire District Media Dept.)
Snow, rain and ice appeared to be contributing factors in a number of motor vehicle accidents in and around Illinois Valley during the past several days.
Illinois Valley Fire District (IVFD), American Medical Response (AMR) and Oregon State Police (OSP) responded Sunday night, Dec. 28 to Hay’s Hill for a vehicle over an embankment.
The driver and passenger were on Hwy. 199 near milepost 15.5 when the car went out of control and went off the roadway at a location where there is no guardrail.
Both persons, whose identities were not available in time for this issue, were transported by AMR. The mishap was reported at approximately 7:10 p.m.
One crash on Hwy. 199, which caused temporary closure of “first bridge” over Illinois River on the south side of Cave Junction, was reported at 6:53 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 25.
Drivers were identified by Josephine County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) as Kristy Lynn Carlson, 54, an Oregon resident; and Logan Thomas Rudkin, 20, a resident of Washington state.
It appeared that Carlson’s full-size pickup truck slid sideways and struck one side of Rudkin’s smaller pickup, which had a canopy. JCSO logged the incident as an injury accident, but details were not immediately available.
Besides JCSO deputies, emergency personnel were from IVFD, AMR and ODOT. Driving conditions at the time were said to be icy.
Advertisement:
Also on Christmas Day, at 8:45 a.m., another two-vehicle crash was reported on Hwy. 199 at milepost 10.5. OSP identified the drivers as Brad Lee Middleton, 18; and Stanley Bloyd, 50, both of Grants Pass.
Middleton, whose vehicle rolled onto its top, was transported by AMR to Three Rivers Community Hospital. He was treated and released, OSP reported.
On Friday, Dec. 26, emergency personnel responded to a single-vehicle, noninjury accident on Hay’s Hill, reported at 10 a.m.
OSP said that O’Brien resident Patricia Rita Popejoy, 58, crashed her vehicle into an embankment. The car flipped near milepost 19.
Another wreck involving a pickup truck was reported the same day at 10:06 a.m. It occurred on “second bridge” on Hwy. 199 near the south entrance to Westside Road. No injuries were reported.
Advertisement:
