A truck driver that plunged 50-feet off an exit ramp on I-84 is suing the Oregon Department of Transportation for over $7 million dollars.
Back on June 19th 2013, 63-year-old David Lee Sitton was traveling on Interstate 84 in Portland, when a Nissan Versa collided with his Mack truck on the northbound Interstate 5 exit ramp. The collision caused his rig to plummet 50 feet off the ramp, landing on top of a parking lot fence, where he dangled for over an hour before being rescued.
After the accident, the DOT closed that section of the highway for several weekends in order to redesign the three lane junction on I-84 that merges onto I-5.
Prior to the accident the middle lane split into the southbound and northbound I-5. After the changes, the middle and left lane are strictly for entering the southbound I-5, while drivers entering the northbound I-5 must stay on the right.
This diagram by the Oregon Department of Transportation illustrates the changes that were made.
Sitton is is now seeking $7.25 million from the state of Oregon, citing poor design of the freeway as a factor that lead to the collision.
According to the lawsuit, the Nissan driver was in the far right lane as they approached the split and after realizing it was an exit only lane, was forced to cross two lanes on the left in order to enter the Southbound exit ramp, where she collided with his truck. In addition, the suit claims that a poorly designed highway barrier actually helped launch his rig over the interstate.
Sitton was unable to drive a truck for more than a year after the incident due to his injuries.
The lawsuit filed last week lists the Oregon Department of Transportation as the only defendant.
Sitton sued the driver of the Nissan Versa in a separate case last year, seeking $7.5 million, but settled out of court. The amount has not been disclosed.
The driver of the Nissan was ticketed for “unlawful change of lanes.”