Wrong-way driver busted in Baker County
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER COUNTY – Roadway closures are an unfortunate but common fact of modern life. Accidents, bad weather, and scheduled construction can and will bring traffic to a stop. Logically, many drivers will attempt to find a safe alternative route or, if none are available, simply wait out the delay. Either case requires a degree of patience. Recently though, one driver in Baker County decided to take a more exotic detour.
At approximately 12:15 a.m. on Friday, October 27, the Oregon State Police responded to a semi-truck crash on I-84 westbound near milepost 308. It was later revealed that the trailer had been struck by another vehicle, causing both the truck and trailer to overturn and block the westbound lanes. I-84 westbound was later shutdown to allow crews to clear the accident. At roughly 5:10 a.m. however, an ODOT crew reported to OSP that a Toyota Camry with its hazard lights on had passed them near milepost 309 via the westbound shoulder…going eastbound.
OSP eventually caught up to the confused Camry near milepost 313, still traveling east on the westbound shoulder at the time. As stated in the OSP media log, “the driver was trying to make it to the 313 exit to get around the closure.” The driver was subsequently cited for reckless driving.
