On July 15, there was a single truck accident outside the small town of Sweet Home, Oregon. Sweet Home is about 40 miles northeast of Eugene, Oregon. The driver and minor passenger were both hospitalized with various injuries. The unnamed minor needed to be airlifted to a trauma center in Portland.
Driving under the influence suspected as cause of the crash
On Friday just before 6 p.m., the Oregon State Police (OSP) was contacted about an incident involving a tractor-trailer on US Highway 20 near mile marker 33. Troopers reported that the truck was traveling west on Highway 20 when it left the road. The truck then rolled down a steep embankment on the north side of the road, and stopped near the Santiam River.
The driver, Timothy Wade Shockey, 41, of Sweet Home, was rescued and taken by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries. His unnamed passenger, who was reported as being under 18, was seriously hurt and was airlifted to a Portland trauma hospital.
The driver of the truck showed signs of impairment, according to the OSP, which is continuing the investigation. The vehicle was recovered and taken for evidence the next day. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Sweet Home Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted on the scene.
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