Semitruck driver in I-5 crash that killed 7 charged for DUI, manslaughter
The driver involved in a crash that killed seven people on Interstate 5 on Thursday afternoon is being charged for allegedly driving under the influence of intoxicants, according to Oregon State Police.
Lincoln Smith, 52, of California, was arraigned on Friday at the Marion County Court Annex for charges including manslaughter, DUI, reckless driving and assault.
More: At least 7 dead in crash on I-5 south of Salem
How police say the crash happened
Police said at about 2 p.m. Thursday Smith's 18 wheeler left the northbound lane of Interstate 5 near the Santiam rest stop.
His truck hit a Ford Econoline van with 11 people inside. The impact pushed the van into the trailer of another 18 wheeler. The driver of the other truck was not injured.
A district attorney said witnesses said the truck had been weaving on and off the road and hit the van without applying the brakes.
Six people who were in the van were declared dead at the scene. Another person was taken from the scene in a helicopter and died while they were being taken to a hospital. Police say the other four people in the van suffered various injuries and were transported by ambulance to hospitals.
The white van at the scene was severely crushed. Straw sun hats and shovels could be seen among the wreckage.
The victims in the crash are not being named, police said, until their families have been notified. The van was believed to be transporting agricultural workers who work for a local labor contract company.
PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union, said in a statement it is in touch with some of the families to understand what they need for support. The union said it will also help identify any needs the community can help supply.
"PCUN, and our members, would like to send our sincere condolences to the families and the workers impacted by this tragedy," executive director Reyna Lopez said in a statement. "At this time, families are asking for safer roads for workers commuting after a hard day's work."
The husband of one of the dead told the judge through an interpreter that their 1-year-old son asked for his mother on Friday.
"My future is destroyed," he said.
Driver arraigned Friday
Smith was transported from the scene for medical treatment.
Police say he was then arrested and was taken to the Marion County Jail.
The charging document alleges he was under the influence of a controlled substance and an inhalant. At his Friday arraignment, a district attorney said he refused a field sobriety test and was unable to focus and answer basic questions.
The district attorney said Smith admitted to taking "speed" on Wednesday and was in possession of methamphetamine and inhalants.
Deputy district attorney David Wilson said Smith had at least 17 arrests in California and nine previous convictions ranging from burglary to providing false information.
His next scheduled court appearance is at 8:30 a.m. on May 30.
The judge, Lindsay Partridge, did not set bail.
Semitruck drivers face lower blood alcohol limits
The threshold for criminal charges for someone driving a commercial vehicle is lower than for a passenger vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association.
Driving a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .04 is a federal violation. In Oregon, the legal limit for drivers of standard vehicles is below .08.
According to Oregon Department of Transportation data, 159 people have died in traffic crashes in Oregon so far this year. In 2022, 600 people died in crashes in Oregon.
Bill Poehler covers Marion County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Driver in I-5 crash that killed 7 charged for DUI, manslaughter
