OSP Patrol Car Struck by Out-of-Control Pickup on Interstate 84

A second incident happened Saturday night in the Albany area when an OSP sergeant handling a traffic crash witnessed an out-of-control vehicle crash into the back of a tow truck.

Photographs from Interstate 84 Crash: Oregon State Police

(CASDADE LOCKS, Ore.) - An OSP recruit trooper assisting at the scene of a motor vehicle crash near Cascade Locks was uninjured after his parked patrol car was struck by another vehicle.

Sergeant Pat Shortt with Oregon State Police says this was one of two incidents involving emergency responders and roadside assistance vehicles that are reminders of the need to slow down while traveling.

It happened this morning at approximately 9:30 a.m. an OSP recruit trooper was assisting several vehicles that slid off westbound Interstate 84 near milepost 46 due to icy road conditions, Shortt said.

"After parking the patrol car with emergency lights activated on the shoulder of the highway, the recruit trooper was out helping the other vehicles that had previously slid off of the road."

Shortt says the trooper was standing outside of the patrol car when a 1990 Ford pickup operated by 31-year old Henry Gardner of Pendleton, lost control and slid into the rear end of the OSP car.

Neither Gardner or his passenger, 34-year old Shelby Holder, also from Pendleton, were injured in the crash. Both were using seatbelts.

The recruit trooper, who is assigned to The Dalles Area Command office, also was not injured.

Shortt says no citations were issued as a result of the crash.

The second incident happened Saturday night in the Albany area when an OSP sergeant handling a traffic crash witnessed an out-of-control vehicle crash into the back of a tow truck.

Shortt says the OSP sergeant was parked a couple hundred feet back from the tow truck whose operator was standing outside hooking up a car involved in a previous crash.

"The southbound car spun out-of-control and went in to a slide across the freeway, striking the rear of the tow truck. The tow operator was able to jump out of the way before the car struck the tow truck."