Truck driver involved in Wednesday's crash dies
Friday, December 26, 2008 2:53 PM PST
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E-mail this articleThe Oregon City trucker who veered off of Interstate 5 and landed on the Allen Street underpass in Kelso Wednesday died early Christmas day.
Ryan M. Hair, 30, died early Thursday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland from head injuries, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Phil Thoma.
“It’s a tough time of year for this to happen,” Thoma said Thursday afternoon.
According to the WSP, Hair was driving southbound on I-5 approaching the exit 39 area when he left the roadway to the left at about 7 a.m.. Hair’s truck collided with the guardrail, then traveled between the northbound and southbound overpasses, eventually striking the retaining wall on Allen Street below. The accident blocked Allen Street for most of the day.
The preliminary cause of the crash is listed as driving too fast for conditions but the investigation is still in the early stages, Thoma said.
“I heard a boom and said, ‘What was that?’ ” Rod Richmond, who lives behind the Burger King on Allen Street a few blocks from the accident, said Wednesday. “I thought a transformer blew.”
He and his wife, Krystal, and daughter Sarah were among dozens of onlookers coming out in the snow to look at the gnarled wreckage. Many carried cameras or recording equipment.
The freeway lanes and ramps remained open during aninvestigation.
William Eugene Howard, who lives a few blocks away, rushed over with an offer to bring blankets or pillows for the injured trucker.
“He was already en route to the hospital,” said Howard. He said the mangled truck was “horrible. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
The wreckage could be seen from Burger King, but no employee witnessed the accident.
“We heard a big, loud thud,” said employee Kendra Reagan. She went out back, thinking something was wrong with their freight delivery, and the delivery driver told her what happened.
Several Kelso patrol officers heard the crash and rushed to the scene to help the Washington State Patrol with traffic control.
Robert Hicks of Portland came upon the wreck about 5 minutes after it happened.
“I was coming from Longview on Allen,” said Hicks, a box truck driver on his way to make a delivery to Taco Time. He saw a crush of police cars and emergency vehicles filling the street and watched Hair being pulled out of his cab. Troopers said Hair was delirious and having spasms.
Gondolapete wrote on Dec 25, 2008 5:17 PM:
frankenzombie wrote on Dec 25, 2008 5:30 PM:
bdha wrote on Dec 25, 2008 6:47 PM:
ontheinside wrote on Dec 25, 2008 7:23 PM:
mom of four wrote on Dec 25, 2008 8:10 PM:
lou wrote on Dec 25, 2008 8:10 PM:
jamshemil wrote on Dec 25, 2008 8:45 PM:
Beer&Skittles wrote on Dec 25, 2008 9:38 PM:
Scot Heisel, TDN wrote on Dec 25, 2008 9:45 PM:
greenbean wrote on Dec 25, 2008 10:31 PM:
Gondolapete wrote on Dec 25, 2008 11:34 PM:
Hair drove for Portland-based RLT Inc. for at least six to seven months. He had picked up a load in Tigard Tuesday afternoon and was headed to the area of Kent, Wash., delivering business envelopes.
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/oregon_city_man_dies_after_his.html "
abc123 wrote on Dec 26, 2008 8:15 AM:
Louie wrote on Dec 26, 2008 12:43 PM:
Let this be a signal for all you hot-doggers and would be race car drivers this is not the kind of weather to be screwing around in. You must drive sensibly and that means UNDER the speed limit in snow and ice. This is an unfortunate accident with heartbreaking results...pay heed to this possibly happening to you if you don't drive with EXTREAM caution. "
ruthdaggett wrote on Dec 26, 2008 12:46 PM:
cr mom 2 wrote on Dec 26, 2008 9:17 PM:
duthsa_of_kelso wrote on Dec 27, 2008 5:08 PM:
caringfriend wrote on Jan 3, 2009 2:52 PM:
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