Multi-Vehicle Accident I-5, Jan. 19

On Wednesday January 17, 2018 at approximately 7:46pm OSP Springfield and Roseburg responded to a multi-vehicle injury crash on I-5 near milepost 168. Preliminary investigation revealed a southbound commercial motor vehicle (CMV), driven by Amarveer Dahliwal (age 45 from Everett, Washington), lost control of its trailer and struck the outside guardrail, the driver then overcorrected, crossed both southbound travel lanes and struck the center concrete barrier. The collision with the barrier dislodged several large concrete sections, forcing them into the northbound travel lanes. A second northbound CMV, driven by David Solheim (age 55 from Myrtle Creek) stopped at the crash scene, exited the vehicle, in attempts to warn the southbound traffic. Solheim was struck by a southbound Dodge pick-up, driven by Decontee Renda (age 23 from Sheridan). Solheim was transported to sacred Heart at Riverbend hospital in Springfield with serious injuries. Four northbound vehicles crashed into the concrete barriers that were pushed into the northbound lane. Those vehicles were driven by: Bobby Carter (age 47 from Springfield), and Michelle Nickell (age 57 from Cottage Grove), Adam Castro (age 52 from Springfield), and Kelly Gregory (age 43 from Portage, Michigan). In total five people (all four drivers) were transported to Sacred Heart at Riverbend Hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious. The crashes completely blocked both northbound and southbound lanes however Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was able to open one lane of travel in both directions in under two hours, allowing tow operators on scene to remove the vehicles. ODOT Incident Response remained on scene to replace the six concrete sections.