Editor's note
This story was updated at 7 a.m. Feb. 2 with the names of those involved in the crash.
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This story was updated at 3:05 p.m. Feb. 1 with more information as released by the Benton County Sheriff's Office and to provide clarification on what led to the collision.
A pickup attempting to turn from Summit Highway across traffic onto Highway 20 near Blodgett was hit by a logging truck Wednesday afternoon, killing a 61-year-old Hubbard man and sending a 36-year-old Siletz man to the hospital with multiple injuries, Philomath Fire and Rescue and Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the pickup, driven by Michael Fetch, was stopped at Summit Highway waiting to turn east onto Highway 20.
“For an unknown reason, the driver of the pickup pulled out in front of an unloaded log truck, traveling westbound on Highway 20,” BCSO reported in a news release. “The driver of the log truck tried to avoid the collision with the Ford but was unable to.”
Philomath Deputy Fire Chief Rich Saalsaa, who responded to the scene as an incident commander, said the pickup was hit on the driver’s side and the impact sheared off the bed of the truck, which also contained a 100-gallon diesel tank.
“The pickup continued down the embankment on the south side of the highway and landed near the parking lot of the Blodgett (Country) Store,” Saalsaa said. “The logging truck followed the pickup and ejected the driver onto the side driveway of the parking lot and the truck continued down another embankment and landed near the railroad tracks.”
Fetch was the pickup’s lone occupant and pronounced dead at the scene. Edwin Sondenaa, who was driving the logging truck, suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by Corvallis Fire ambulance to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis.
“It does not appear impairment or speed were factors in the crash,” BCSO reported.
Philomath Fire and Rescue was dispatched to the crash at 3:46 p.m. to assist Blodgett-Summit Rural Fire with a response that included an engine crew of four in addition to the incident commander.
The Philomath crew assisted with the pickup’s driver, patient care, scene safety and securing of the vehicles, Saalsaa said. A hoseline was pulled in response to fuel spills. In addition, the crew helped mitigate fuel leaks from the logging truck, whose unloaded trailer landed upside-down under the cab of the truck, and from the fuel cell that came off the pickup and landed on the side of the Highway 20 bridge.
In addition to Philomath Fire and Rescue, the response included Philomath Police, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and Mike Kissel, Corvallis Fire’s emergency medical services division chief. The Oregon Department of Transportation also assisted.
BCSO is continuing its investigation of the crash and anyone with additional information can contact Deputy Erik Hesseling at erik.hesseling@bentoncountyor.gov or 541-766-6858.