A 47-year-old Eugene woman was arrested on a drunken driving charge following a one-vehicle crash off Highway 20 near Blodgett late Sunday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Local emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the crash at just after 11 p.m. Dec. 1 in an area of Highway 20 near Blodgett Road. An engine crew of four and an incident commander were a part of the response. Blodgett-Summit Rural Fire also responded to the scene, which involved a pickup that had crashed through a guardrail and was lodged against a tree about 40 feet down from the eastbound lane of Highway 20.
Deputy Fire Chief Rich Saalsaa, who was at the scene, said the vehicle had severe damage on both the front and rear ends with the airbags deployed. The motorist was trapped inside with the driver’s door jammed shut and the passenger door not able to open because of a tree.
Philomath Fire and Rescue removed the door next to the tree to create enough space for the woman to climb out under her own power, Saalsaa said.
Blodgett-Summit Rural Fire helped the driver up to a Corvallis Fire ambulance and she was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. BCSO reported that the driver claimed no injuries but was taken to the hospital for a blood draw.
The woman was then arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants (alcohol).
The primary eastbound lane on Highway 20 was closed for approximately 20 minutes although the passing lane remained open.