Traffic backup follows hit-and-run pedestrian crash

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Police are asking for clues, and drivers are being asked to avoid a South Medford roadway and freeway exit in the wake of a crash that police say involved a pedestrian and a vehicle that fled the scene. The pedestrian, a 26-year-old woman identified by Medford police as Chantal Haney, was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital Wednesday evening after she was struck by a car near the area of South Pacific Highway and Garfield just at 5:14 p.m. Wednesday, according to a release issued by Medford police. Haney is undergoing treatment for serious injuries related to the crash. The vehicle believed to have hit Haney is described as a sedan believed to be missing its rear bumper with damage to its front passenger-side headlight. The vehicle's make, model and color isn't yet known. Anyone with information is asked to call Medford police at 541-770-4783. The crash has backed up southbound Interstate 5 near Exit 27 Wednesday evening, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Southbound lanes of South Pacific Highway at Garfield remained closed as of 8 p.m., and Medford police said southbound lanes of South Pacific Highway would continue being diverted throughout the evening.