October 10, 2012
Lieutenant Gregg Hastings
Public Information Officer
(503) 731-3020 ext 247
Photograph links valid 30 days - Source: Oregon State Police
On October 9, 2012 at approximately 10:30 p.m., a commercial truck transporting grocery goods for Safeway was westbound on Highway 26 near milepost 12 when its driver lost control. The truck and semi-trailer overturned onto their right side, damaging an extended length of guardrail before coming to rest blocking four lanes of the highway. The trailer's roof split open spilling a large amount of the load onto the road.
The truck's driver, ROBIN HIBDON, age 33, from Portland, was injured and transported by Medix Ambulance to Columbia Memorial Hospital in Seaside.
OSP troopers from the Astoria Area Command office to investigate the crash. Trooper Andrew Morgan is the lead investigator.
The highway was blocked for approximately 9 hours. After the first two hours, ODOT personnel on scene cleared a small path for one lane of traffic to open. A local tow company completed the recovery and clean-up at the scene with the help of Tillamook Landfill. Using cranes, heavy machinery, industrial dumpsters, and a lot of manpower, the crash site was cleaned up.
Trooper Morgan contacted Safeway Corporation who agreed to salvage any food or grocery items not destroyed. A local foodbank in Seaside was contacted and arrangements were made to load up ODOT trucks with a very large variety of food products to take to the foodbank. OSP, ODOT crews and others on scene helped salvage the food products for delivery by ODOT to the foodbank.