Black ice on Interstate 84 cripples traffic, kills one

By KATU.com Staff and News Wires Published: Nov 8, 2009 at 3:37 PM PST
Black ice on Interstate 84 cripples traffic, kills one
Black ice on Highway 84 through northeast Oregon caught motorists by surprise Sunday morning, causing multiple crashes and closing down the highway after a man traveling with his family from Utah died on its straightaway.

MEACHAM, Ore. - A Utah man died early Sunday morning after his vehicle skidded across black ice on Interstate 84. All four of his passengers, also from Utah, were injured.

At least two of the passengers performed CPR on the driver until police arrived.

Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Jeremy Gunter reports that the accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. The vehicle, driven by 28-year-old Ryan Sean Campbell from Riverton, Utah, was eastbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 238 with three other adult occupants and one child. 

Campbell reportedly hit an area of black ice and the vehicle began to slide. Gunter reports that Campbell attempted to correct the vehicle's path, but it slid off the roadway - striking a guardrail and traveling down a small ravine. The ravine was along eastbound Interstate 84 near Meacham in northeast Oregon. 

Oregon State Police troopers at the scene continued CPR on Campbell. About 30 minutes after Oregon state police started resuscitation efforts, medical personnel reportedly arrived and pronounced Campbell deceased.

Passengers were identified as 83-year-old Clarence Campbell and his 81-year-old wife Elna Campbell, both from South Jordan, Utah; 56-year-old Peggy Maynes from South Jordan, Utah; and a 3-year-old boy from Riverton, Utah.

Those four were transported by Pendleton Ambulance to St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton for treatment of minor injuries. Police report that Ryan Campbell, Clarence Campbell and the child were using safety restraints.

Oregon State Police troopers from Milton-Freewater, Pendleton and La Grande offices responded to the scene. Their investigation indicates speed was not a factor.

Due to icy roadway conditions and multiple crashes in the area, the freeway was closed for approximately 2 hours.  Oregon Department of Transportation and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department also responded and assisted with this crash and other traffic problems caused by the road's slick surface and traffic re-direction.