Teens Riding in Truck Bed Injured in Oregon City Accident

Date: April 10, 2011
Location: South Center and Sunset Streets, Oregon City
Name: Travis Liechty, Austin Wilson, Holly Leonard

A pickup truck crash resulted in injuries to six teenagers, some of whom were riding in the truck bed, according to The Oregonian.

Travis Liechty, age 18, was driving the pickup when it crashed into a power pole at about 8:15pm at South Center and Sunset Streets.

An Oregon City police spokeswoman, Lt. Lisa Nunes, stated that three teens were riding in the Chevrolet S-210’s bed and three others were in the truck cab at the time of impact.

Austin Wilson, age 16, was in serious condition and underwent treatment at OHSU Hospital Portland. 16-year-old Holly Leonard had been airlifted to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and was later reported to be in good condition.

Liechty was treated and released from the hospital; the other teens suffered minor injuries. No citations had yet been issued, and the Oregon car crash is being investigated.

We hope that all of the teen occupants will experience speedy recoveries, and we are relieved that there were no critical injuries or loss of life in what, easily, could have been a more serious car accident. Federal standards are set so that vehicle interiors are designed to protect occupants during a crash. The beds of pickup trucks are designed to transport cargo, not people. They are not designed to provide protection in a crash and people are easily ejected at relatively low speeds.

A competent Portland personal injury attorney can help guide you through the process of understanding your rights and responsibilities when you are involved in a traffic crash.