Thursday, July 31, 2008

Jackknifed pickup, trailer block Hwy. 97




Jackknifed pickup, trailer block Hwy. 97

Posted: July 31, 2008 12:57 AM


Evening rush-hour traffic jammed; driver unhurt, gets ticket

From KTVZ.COM news sources

A pickup truck towing another vehicle on a trailer drifted into the guardrail on southbound Highway 97 near Sunriver Wednesday evening and it jackknifed, blocking traffic through the evening commute.

The 1984 Dodge pickup truck and 20-foot trailer crashed shortly after 5:30 p.m. near the Cottonwood Road exit, south of Lava Butte, said Deschutes County sheriff's Sgt. Joe DeLuca.

Driver Henry Root, 69, of Gilchrist, was unhurt, but his towed vehicle had substantial damage - and he got a ticket for failure to maintain his lane of travel, said DeLuca said.

Arriving deputies found the accident blocking the highway's southbound lane.

The crash blocked both lanes of Highway 97 for nearly 90 minutes - causing a miles-long rush hour backup - while recovery vehicles cleared the scene, aided by sheriff's deputies and the Oregon Department of Transportation.


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