Pedestrian Seriously Injured in Truck Collision, Highway 18

Date: March 20, 2011
Location: Highway 18 Near Otis, Lincoln County
Names: Teresa Dawn Wood, Edwin Crane

An Otis, Oregon woman was seriously injured when she ran directly into the path of a pickup truck.

According to an Oregon State Police news release, Teresa Dawn Wood, age 23 of Otis, ran onto Highway 18 near milepost 6 at about 12:13am early Sunday morning March 20, and was struck by a 2009 Dodge Ram pickup being driven east by Edwin Crane, age 68 of Lebanon. Wood was airlifted to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland with critical injuries, and OregonLive.com reported that her condition was later upgraded to serious condition.

Crane and his 76-year-old female passenger were uninjured.

The Oregon State Police were assisted at the Portland pedestrian accident scene by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Pac West Ambulance. One lane of traffic was closed for about an hour and a half during emergency response efforts and the police investigation.

We send Ms. Wood our thoughts and prayers as she recovers, and hope that she will have no lasting injuries from the accident.

While it is not clear why Ms. Wood ran onto the highway, pedestrian accidents are generally considered the driver’s fault. There are exceptions to everything in the law, however, and this accident may be one of them depending on the findings of the police investigation. All cases are different, so it would be wise to contact a knowledgeable Portland personal injury lawyer with any questions about your unique situation.