GILLIAM COUNTY, Ore. — A Washington man was killed and an Oregon Department of Transportation worker was seriously injured Tuesday afternoon when a three-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 84 in Gilliam County.
Oregon State Police responded at approximately 2:43 p.m. Aug. 11 to the crash near milepost 123.
According to the preliminary investigation, 77-year-old James Thomas Raugust of Ocean Shores, Washington, was driving a westbound red Land Rover LR4 towing an Airstream trailer when he pulled onto the right shoulder after suffering a flat tire.
An ODOT white Ford F550 maintenance truck, operated by Roger Vincent Birkeland of Arlington, stopped behind the disabled Land Rover to assist. The ODOT truck was positioned in the right lane and was displaying a large electronic reader board warning approaching drivers to move over.
A westbound white Toyota Highlander, driven by 48-year-old Burke Lloyd Oneal of Vancouver, Washington, struck the rear of the ODOT truck. The Highlander then lost control and struck Raugust and Birkeland as they were changing the flat tire.
Raugust was pronounced dead at the scene.
Birkeland was transported by Life Flight to an area hospital with serious injuries.
Raugust’s passenger, 80-year-old Melodie Marie Raugust of Ocean Shores, reported minor injuries. Oneal also reported minor injuries.
The crash affected traffic on Interstate 84 for approximately three hours while investigators worked at the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
OSP was assisted by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department, Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
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