Driver Killed in Truck Crash Involving Speed and Alcohol

Date: October 15, 2009
Location: SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Oregon
Names: Ronald Earley

According to The Portland Tribune, alcohol and speeding were factors in an early-morning truck crash October 15, 2009, that killed a 24-year-old man. The fatal accident occurred around 2:50 AM, as Ronald Earley, of Portland, Oregon, was driving a Ford Ranger pickup truck east in the 4500 block of the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Earley’s truck left the road and slammed into a steel column, seriously injuring him; he died at a local hospital.

A major crash team from the Portland Police Bureau was investigating the crash as of October 15. Detectives told The Oregonian that excessive speed and drunk driving contributed to the fatal collision.

Some drivers may not know that “speeding” can mean either driving in excess of the posted limit, or driving too fast for conditions. In fact, a driver can be within the speed limit and still be speeding, depending on the roadway, weather, or other conditions.

A fact sheet from the Oregon Department of Transportation points out that speeding is the top contributor to deaths and injuries in Oregon, accounting, on average, for half of all traffic fatalities. In fact, speeders kill more innocent Oregonians than drunk drivers. In 2008, among crashes caused by excessive speed, 40% of deaths were passengers or other innocent victims, not the speeding drivers themselves.

Late for work or an appointment? Don’t take a deadly chance by speeding. The time you save, if any, will be negligible, especially compared with the risk. It is far, far better to be a few minutes late than never to arrive at all – or to risk the same on someone else.

We encourage people to educate themselves on the law of drunk driving in Oregon, and we provide free information to help you settle your lawsuit without an attorney. But when a drunk driver is involved, the law becomes very tricky, and you should contact an experienced Portland car accident attorney.