Commercial vehicle takes out barrier on I-84
By Griffin Beach on Tuesday, June 17th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – A commercial truck driver suffered only minor injuries when he drove through a construction barrier on Interstate 84 at mile marker 197 early Friday morning, causing his truck to flip onto its side.
Oregon State Police reports the red Freightliner semi was traveling westbound on I-84 at around 1:30 a.m. when the driver, a 24-year-old California man, failed to see the barrier that diverts traffic to the eastbound lanes and drove through it. The barrier diverts traffic to the eastbound lanes due to the current construction taking place in the westbound lanes. The semi continued to crash through a guardrail and jackknifed, causing the vehicle to flip on its driver’s side before coming to a rest.
The driver sustained minor injuries and was cleared by medics. He was cited for failure to drive within his lane and given a courtesy ride to a Pendleton hotel. The Oregon Department of Transportation arranged a HAZMAT cleanup for diesel fuel that spilled out of the semi.
Pendleton Fire and Ambulance, the Echo Rural Fire Protection District, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.
