MILLERSBURG, Ore. - A freak accident sent a dump truck barrelling across Interstate 5 north of Millersburg Friday, where it narrowly missed slamming into a Gresham family's truck but destroyed their boat, authorities said.

Luckily, no one was hurt in the crash, which occurred near the South Jefferson exit about 3 p.m., according to Elaine Parrott, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson Fire District.

It happened after a dump truck was heading downhill on a road near the interstate - Viewcrest Drive Northeast - and was unable to stop or turn when the road ended at Century Drive, which runs parallel to the freeway, Parrott said.

The dump truck then went through the guardrail, down an embankment and crossed both lanes of northbound Interstate 5, where it crashed into the 18-foot boat being towed by a pickup that contained two adults and three children, she said.

"A second earlier and the dump truck would have hit the pickup with five passengers," said Jefferson Fire Chief Don Bemrose in a press release. "This could have been an accident with several fatalities."

The driver of the dump truck was identified as Les Hoefer of Millersburg.

The family was heading home after spending a week camping near Crater Lake, Parrott said.