A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Submitted photo / The South County Spotlight
Jeffrey Little – Killed in a 2008 crash with a log truck at Highway 30 and Bennett Road in Warren.
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The family of a Warren man who was killed in August 2008 when the pickup truck he was a passenger in crashed into the tail-end of a swinging pole truck load filed a lawsuit against the state, the pole hauler and a local pole manufacturer on Friday.
Teri Stoffer, mother of Jeffrey Little, who at 28 years old was killed at the intersection of Highway 30 and Bennett Road, alleges the negligence of multiple parties contributed to the death of her son.
And even today, she said, the state hesitates to make the changes necessary to prevent future serious crashes of a similar variety.
“Hopefully this will get somebody’s attention. I would really rather do it this way than for there to be another accident at that intersection,” Stoffer said.
The law suit names McCormick Piling and Lumber Company, the trucking company O’Malley Brothers Corporation, the pole and pilot car drivers and the state of Oregon.
Specifically, Stoffer wants the Oregon Department of Transportation to adopt new rules that would prevent scenarios similar to what led to Little’s death.
ODOT had no response to the lawsuit, as is its policy, though a spokesman for the agency point four months earlier, in April 2008, when 82-year-old Evelyn Sanders of Scappoose crashed as the result of similar conditions. Then, two weeks after Little’s death, there was a third crash at that intersection involving a pole truck.
In all cases, the trucks were bound for McCormick Piling and Lumber Company on Old Portland Road.
When all variables are taken together, the Highway 30-Bennett Road intersection numbers 1,061 on the SPIS, or around the top 2.1 percent of dangerous intersections, a figure that doesn’t capture the 2008 crashes.
Funding to fix the intersection is scarce, however, and the intersection was not considered for federal stimulus funds to fix it. Because any fix would cost more than $75,000, ODOT’s threshold for being able to unilaterally address road problems, the proposal would have to be vetted through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program funding pool, and such projects have already been dedicated out past 2013.
The lawsuit seeks a dollar award of $3,887 to pay for Little’s services and a jury-determined amount as allowable by law.
To what? The Gable Road intersection? The destination is on Old Portland Road. How do you recommend the poles get there? Helicoptor? Why can't people use common sense and pay attention to what is in front of them. The pole trucks didn't just materialize in front of these drivers and surprise them with a rapid right hand turn. There were turn signals and brake lights used as well as the flag car's flashing lights. Obviously a potentially hazardous situation was ahead. That's when the majority of us slow down and give them room to manuever.
(email verified)
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Here are some facts on these accidents: #1)The passenger vehicles were traveling in their own lane, not behind the log trucks, #2) There were no pilot cars with or without flashing lights behind these trucks to warn anyone, #3) The right hand turn combined with the immediate sharp left hand turn makes the ends of these over-length loads snap around very abruptly, right into oncoming traffic. I am hoping that with some changes to pilot car requirements and maybe a warning sign at least the traveling public will have a fighting chance.
(email verified)
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 02:32 PM
To born here: I was "born here" too. That does not make me an expert on highway 30 traffic, nor does it you. I do know too many people have died. I'm really glad you're so careful. I only hope everyone around you is careful because you will be just as dead as if it were your mistake. Your compassion is amazing.
(email verified)
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 09:52 PM
How hard and how much money would it be to have a warning sign/diagram on hwy 30 - like the signs on the big rig trailers - showing the danger of log truck turns at this intersection as a way to alert "not from here" and "from here" drivers of the danger at this crossing.
(email verified)
Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 09:54 AM
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Re: Warren mother seeks damages, change from deadly crash
You'd think someone would feel responsible especially after the third incident. They need to force these trucks to change their route. As a former resident of Warren, I know how many have died at this intersection in the last 50 years. You go Teri, my prayers are with you and your family.
"Aggie"
(email verified)
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 09:57 PM