A commercial truck driver from Woodburn was cited by Oregon State Police (OSP) for Reckless Driving and other offenses following a Friday morning non-injury crash along Highway 97 about five miles south of Chemult in Klamath County. Fatigue is one of the factors investigated as a possible contributing factor.
According to Senior Trooper Joseph Smith, on January 10, 2014 at approximately 9:45 a.m., a 2003 Freightliner truck pulling a semi-trailer hauling nursery stock driven by PATRICK S. LaFOUNTAIN, age 43, from Woodburn, was traveling southbound on Highway 97 entering Beaver Marsh near milepost 209 when the vehicles crossed the northbound lane and went into the bordering ditch. The truck and semi-trailer continued nearly 400 feet down the roadside before crashing into several trees in front of three nearby residences.
Two witnesses traveling northbound directly in the path of the oncoming truck alertly avoided a head-on crash. They stopped their car and assisted the truck's driver until EMS personnel arrived to check on him. LaFOUNTAIN was using safety restraints and wasn't injured.
OSP investigation led to LaFOUNTAIN being cited for Reckless Driving and Unlawful Use/Possession of a Controlled Substance - Marijuana and Alcohol in a commercial motor vehicle.
OSP was assisted at the scene by Chemult Rural Fire Protection District & EMS and ODOT.
Photographs - Oregon State Police
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###
According to Senior Trooper Joseph Smith, on January 10, 2014 at approximately 9:45 a.m., a 2003 Freightliner truck pulling a semi-trailer hauling nursery stock driven by PATRICK S. LaFOUNTAIN, age 43, from Woodburn, was traveling southbound on Highway 97 entering Beaver Marsh near milepost 209 when the vehicles crossed the northbound lane and went into the bordering ditch. The truck and semi-trailer continued nearly 400 feet down the roadside before crashing into several trees in front of three nearby residences.
Two witnesses traveling northbound directly in the path of the oncoming truck alertly avoided a head-on crash. They stopped their car and assisted the truck's driver until EMS personnel arrived to check on him. LaFOUNTAIN was using safety restraints and wasn't injured.
OSP investigation led to LaFOUNTAIN being cited for Reckless Driving and Unlawful Use/Possession of a Controlled Substance - Marijuana and Alcohol in a commercial motor vehicle.
OSP was assisted at the scene by Chemult Rural Fire Protection District & EMS and ODOT.
Photographs - Oregon State Police
### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###