
A trucker was struck by an oncoming motorist on Wednesday after he left his rig to help drivers from a previous wreck.
The accident happened on January 17th at approximately 7:46 p.m. near Cottage Grove, Oregon.
According to KPTV, in the initial wreck, a semi truck traveling southbound on Interstate 5 lost control near mile marker 168 for unknown reasons, crossing over both southbound lanes before striking the center concrete barrier, pushing several large pieces of concrete into the northbound lanes.
A second semi truck then stopped at the scene and the driver, 55-year-old David Solheim, got out to check on those involved in the wreck, as well as to help direct traffic around the wreckage.
Investigators say that, as Solheim was warning drivers of the debris, he was struck by a pickup truck traveling southbound. Solheim was later transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
Four vehicles then crashed into the concrete pushed into the northbound lanes. All four drivers were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries that ranged form serious to minor.
The wreck forced the shutdown of both sides of I-5 at mile marker 168 for more than two hours as crews worked to clear the debris from the roadway.
A total of six concrete barrier sections had to be replaced, but the roadway has since been reopened.
As of Friday morning, Solheim’s condition was not known, and no citations had been issued.