Serious Injury Traffic Crash - Highway 229 North of Toledo

Police cautioning travelers to slow down and be alert for unexpected icy condition on roads that appear to be dry.

Photograph Source: Oregon State Police

(TOLEDO, Ore.) - Three people were injured, one seriously, in a two vehicle head-on crash Friday afternoon on Highway 229 about six miles north of Toledo. Oregon State Police (OSP) is cautioning travelers to slow down and be alert for unexpected icy condition on roads that appear to be dry.

According to OSP Sergeant Justin McGladrey, on February 25, 2011 at approximately 1:55 p.m. a red 2007 Chevrolet Aveo driven by 52-year old Rebecca Jo Whelan of Siletz, was northbound on Highway 229 near milepost 26. Whelen lost control on an icy stretch after passing another vehicles, fishtailed and then traveled into the southbound lane where her car collided head-on with a 1997 Subaru Legacy station wagon driven by 76-year old Betty L. Curran of Siletz. After impact the Chevrolet came to rest against guardrail on the southbound shoulder and the Subaru came to rest in a ditch on the northbound side of the highway. Whelen was transported by Pac West Ambulance to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport with minor injuries. She was using safety restraints and her car's airbags deployed. Curran was also transported by Pac West Ambulance to the Newport area hospital. Her right front passenger/husband, 79-year old Roy Curran, was extricated from the vehicle by Siletz and Toledo firefighters. He was initially taken to the Siletz area by ambulance and then transported by REACH air ambulance to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis with serious injuries. Both were using safety restraints and the vehicle's airbags deployed. OSP troopers from the Newport Area Command office are continuing the investigation. Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and ODOT assisted at the scene as the highway was closed or restricted to one lane for about 2 1/2 hours. McGladrey estimated about 15 traffic crashes happened on area highways as heavy traffic came for the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival. Most were single vehicle non-injury crashes where drivers initially traveling on dry pavement suddenly came upon ice and lost control. Source: News release from: Oregon State Police