Article Preview: Beer-hauling semi crashes, gridlocks traffic near Wolf Creek - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2015-07-16

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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Saved by the Pit Crew       ...       Our View: Campaign money train has left the station       ...       Prosecution: Father tried to arrange assault on babysitter       ...       Saved by the Pit Crew       ...       Our View: Campaign money train has left the station       ...       Prosecution: Father tried to arrange assault on babysitter       ...           PUBLIC SAFETY Beer-hauling semi crashes, gridlocks traffic near Wolf Creek By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 13, 2015 @ 9:16 am Updated Jul 13, 2015 at 7:13 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 13, 2015 @ 9:16 am Updated Jul 13, 2015 at 7:13 PM »  Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> A commercial truck hauling 34,000 pounds of beer crashed on Interstate 5 just south of Wolf Creek Sunday evening, temporarily blocking both southbound lanes and backing up traffic for miles.  An incident report from Oregon State Police says the crash occurred at 6:55 p.m. at milepost 73 near the Smith Hill Summit. Another commercial truck driver who witnessed the crash stated in the report that he had been passing the beer truck, doing an estimated 60 to 65 mph, while the other truck coasted at 55 mph. The report says the beer truck then picked up speed. "It wandered into the center line, and then the witness saw smoke from the trailer's tires," the report reads. "Witness hit the brakes, and the semi truck flipped over into the fast lane just in front of the witness." The driver of the crashed truck, 49-year-old Craig Brian Wilcots of Sacramento, had to be pulled from the truck by other motorists. Beer from the trailer leaked all over the roadway, along with diesel and coolant. Wilcots was taken by ambulance to an unidentified hospital, where he was admitted and remained late Monday with non-life threatening injuries, OSP Lt. Bill Fugate said. No enforcement action was taken while Wilcots was hospitalized, Fugate said. No condition on Wilcots was available Monday evening. Traffic was initially stopped in both southbound lanes, but traffic in the slow lane resumed about 20 minutes after OSP and Oregon Department of Transportation crews arrived. Traffic at one point backed up for about four miles to the north. Crews then had to stop traffic completely for more than an hour while recovery crews moved the crashed semi to the shoulder. ODOT hazmat crews also had to respond to the scene to clean up the spilled truck fluids and beer.  All lanes were open completely just before midnight, according to ODOT.  "The roadway had restricted traffic flow for approximately two hours and was shut down completely for approximately another two hours," the OSP report said. Another vehicle, a white mini van, was also damaged in the crash.  Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 13, 2015 @ 9:16 am Updated Jul 13, 2015 at 7:13 PM » Comment or view comments   /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501