Fatal Traffic Crash Interstate 84 near Boardman
(BOARDMAN, Ore) — Oregon State Police are continuing their investigation into Monday morning's multi-vehicle collision on the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 near Boardman that resulted in the death of an 80-year old man.
According to Lieutenant Mike Turner, on October 20, 2014 at approximately 7:47 a.m., an oversized heavy equipment load was being transported in the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 west of Boardman.
The oversize load was escorted with support vehicles and a rolling slow down of traffic was being deployed to prevent traffic from moving past the group of vehicles.
A Ford Explorer pulling a travel trailer was among a long stretch of slow moving traffic east of the Boardman interchange near milepost 164.5 when the trailer was struck in the rear by a 2012 Ford Mustang driven by Mitchelle E. Davis, age 27, from Mattawa, Washington, in which the victim was a passenger.
After the initial collision the Ford Mustang was disabled and stopped in the right westbound lane.
After Davis got out of the Mustang and helped his passenger, his grandfather, Melvin J. Mitchell, age 80, from Richland, Washington, get out, as they were standing next to the car three commercial vehicles approached from the rear and weren't able to stop.
One commercial truck passed on the right shoulder. A second commercial truck passed to the left and the third commercial truck struck the stopped Ford Mustang and elderly male, resulting in fatal injuries to Mitchell.
After impact, the Ford Mustang spun into the second commercial truck before coming to rest in the westbound lanes.
Davis received minor injuries but remained at the scene to assist investigators.
The driver of the commercial truck that struck the Ford Mustang was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston with minor injuries.
He is identified as Ronald Cook, age 65, from Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Ford Explorer's driver, Joe W. Brogdon, age 63, from La Grande, was not injured.
OSP troopers from the Pendleton Area Command office and Hermiston Work Site are continuing the investigation.
Assistance at the scene provided by Morrow County Sheriff's Office, Boardman Police Department, Morrow County District Attorney's Office, Boardman Rural Fire Protection District, Morrow County Ambulance, and ODOT.
While this investigation was being conducted, a secondary collision occurred in the westbound lanes near milepost 166.
That collision was investigated by Boardman Police Department and Morrow County Sheriff's Office.
The westbound lanes were re-opened about 3:30 p.m.
Source OSP
