7 Salem Residents Injured in Crash

The driver's 5-year-old daughter was transported by air ambulance to Salem Hospital with critical injuries.

Seven people from Salem, 2 adults and 5 children, were transported to area hospitals with minor to critical injuries after a crash Saturday morning in Albany. Photo Courtesy: Oregon State Police

(ALBANY, Ore. ) - Oregon State Police is continuing to investigate Saturday morning's single vehicle serious injury traffic crash that occurred along the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Albany.

Seven people from Salem, 2 adults and 5 children, were transported to area hospitals with minor to critical injuries. Driver fatigue is being investigated as a contributing factor.

At approximately 6:13 a.m., a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country van driven by 35-year-old Gustavo Guevara-Hernandez, from Salem, was northbound on Interstate 5 near milepost 233 when he fell asleep.

The van drifted toward the right shoulder and crashed head-on with the impact absorbing guardrail attenuator at the exit 233 off ramp. The van rolled and came to rest on its top blocking the off ramp.

The two adults and five children, ages 5 to 16, were transported to various area hospitals. The driver's 5-year-old daughter was transported by air ambulance to Salem Hospital with critical injuries.

Safety restraint use is pending confirmation.

The off-ramp was closed for over three hours during the emergency response and investigation.

OSP troopers from the Albany Area Command office are continuing the investigation. Trooper Jeff Freitag is the lead investigator.

OSP was assisted at the scene by fire personnel from Albany, Jefferson, and Lebanon fire departments.

Source: Oregon State Police