Driver Arrested After Head-On Crash and Vehicle Fires in Wolf Creek

WOLF CREEK, Ore. — A 40-year-old man was arrested after allegedly causing a head-on crash on North Frontage Road in Wolf Creek, fleeing the scene on foot and attempting to assault an occupant of the other vehicle on Monday evening, Oct. 26.

Emergency dispatchers received a 911 call at approximately 7:17 p.m. reporting a head-on collision involving two vehicles on North Frontage Road. Both vehicles were reportedly in the roadway and on fire.

Responding units were advised that the driver believed to have caused the crash had fled on foot toward Interstate 5 after attempting to assault an occupant of the other vehicle. Oregon State Police troopers located the suspect near milepost 75 on Interstate 5 and detained him.

Deputies and other responding personnel arrived to find both vehicles fully engulfed in flames. The two occupants of the other vehicle were transported to Three Rivers Community Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The driver was identified as Arthur Espinoza, 40. The preliminary investigation indicated that Espinoza was traveling south at a high rate of speed in the northbound lane of North Frontage Road when he struck an oncoming vehicle head-on near the Interstate 5 southbound Exit 76 on-ramp.

Espinoza was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on charges of third-degree assault, felony hit-and-run involving injury, reckless driving and attempted fourth-degree assault.

Oregon State Police also charged Espinoza with driving under the influence of intoxicants and second-degree disorderly conduct.

North Frontage Road was closed for approximately two hours while crews conducted an extensive cleanup of the burned vehicles.

Authorities said no further information would be released at this time.