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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend February 22, 2007 Click image for larger view An Oregon Department of Transportation road crew works to remove one of two tractor-trailers that jackknifed in snowy conditions near the Siskiyou Summit Wednesday morning. (Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli) Double I-5 JACKKNIFE Snow and bad driving cause two big rigs to spin out, stop traffic near the Siskiyou Summit By Meg Landers Mail Tribune Northbound lanes of Interstate 5 closed twice early Wednesday when truck drivers lost control of their rigs near the Siskiyou Summit, and another blast of wintry weather could make for treacherous conditions on the pass again today. No one was injured, but northbound traffic was halted for about 45 minutes after each accident. A snow advisory remains in place early today at elevations above 2,500 feet. According to Oregon State Police reports, the first accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. when Jose C. Flores, 30, of Mendota, Calif., lost control near milepost 4 while passing a van. His truck ran through the median guardrail, rolled down a hillside, crossed the southbound lanes and slammed into another guardrail . His two passengers reported no injuries, and no other cars were involved. The freeway closed in both directions briefly before southbound lanes reopened, according to Oregon Department of Transportation officials. Flores was cited for failing to drive in the proper lane. Advertisement The second accident occurred at 9:50 a.m. when Dennis Daniel McNeal, 58, of Las Vegas, lost control of his tractor-trailer on a curve while passing another truck near milepost 6. His truck jackknifed and struck a truck driven by Dave Munday, 60, of Eugene. "He was going fast," said Munday, 60, who estimated McNeal was traveling at 45 miles per hour. "You can't do that in slippery conditions." Munday, who was hauling U.S. mail from Sacramento to Seattle, said he was driving in the slow lane approaching a curve and saw the truck coming up behind him. Suddenly he saw McNeal lose control, hit the guardrail on the left, then jack-knife so the cab was facing him. He grazed McNeal's cab as he went past and lost his side mirrors. He said it was fortunate no one was hurt. McNeal was cited for careless driving. Everett Carroll, transportation manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation, said both accidents looked like the drivers were going too fast for the conditions. "They come down off that hill, they need to slow down," said Carroll. "That's two speed incidents today." Carroll said attempts to move the second jack-knifed truck were unsuccessful initially because the tires were stuck underneath the truck. Crews brought in a loader to lift up the truck and moved it off to the side of the interstate so both lanes could reopen. ODOT crews kept the pavement clear with four sander/plow trucks and two deicer/plow trucks clearing snow off the pavement, and drivers were not required to use chains. The National Weather Service issued a snow advisory for elevations above 2,500 feet until 10 a.m. today, said Chuck Glaser, spokesman for the Medford weather service office. He said four to nine inches of snow were expected overnight, with an additional two to three inches possible today. There are also snow advisories in Northern California as well as the Cascades, Siskiyous and in Klamath County. Weather in Medford should be mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers with temperatures reaching 42 degrees, said Glaser. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help