An elderly Chiloquin man was fortunate to escape with only minor injuries when his sport utility vehicle collided with a semi-truck and trailer at the Klamath Falls Port of Entry on Highway 97 Wednesday afternoon, Oregon State Police (OSP) reported.
According to a news release, 79-year old Noel Lane of Chiloquin was traveling north on Highway 97 in a 1991 Ford Explorer when he sideswiped a commercial truck that was merging into traffic at the Klamath Falls Port of Entry.
Fire & Rescue personnel work to free an elderly Chiloquin man from his SUV after he sideswiped a semi truck and trailer as it merged onto Highway 97 near Klamath Falls - OSP photos
The SUV continued in front of the truck, rotated 180-degrees, and rolled onto its side into the ditch. The truck, driven by Walter Speare, 48, of Redding, California, veered to the right which caused the trailer to roll onto its right side. The trailer came to rest against the left front of the Ford, trapping Lane inside the SUV.
Local fire & rescue personnel extricated Lane from the vehicle and transported him to Sky Lakes Medical Center. He suffered minor injuries, was treated, and released, troopers said.
Speare was not hurt, and both drivers were wearing safety restraints.
Oregon Department of Transportation personnel closed the highway intermittently during the two-hour scene investigation and clean up. Troopers with the Klamath Falls Area Command office are completing the investigation.