Three people involved in a two-car crash Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Bellfountain Road and Llewellyn Road escaped with only minor injuries, Philomath Fire & Rescue reported.
Deputy Fire Chief Rich Saalsaa said the fire department was dispatched to the scene of the collision at 4:15 p.m. May 16 to find one vehicle with the driver and a passenger disabled in the middle of the intersection and the other vehicle with a driver only 100 yards south on the front lawn of a property about 60 feet from Bellfountain Road.
“This intersection and the intersection at Bellfountain and Airport roads continue to be high-incident areas,” Saalsaa said, adding that drivers are often going too fast for the conditions and turn into oncoming traffic because of limited sight distances. “People are cautioned to proceed slowly through those intersections, particularly when the sun is low in the sky, rain or fog is present. Don’t risk trying to beat someone through these intersections — they often do not end well.”
The intersection and road in all four directions were shut down for approximately 30 minutes, Saalsaa said, until the crash could be cleared.
Philomath Fire & Rescue’s response included an engine company and rescue vehicle with four total personnel and the deputy fire chief from the Main Street Station and an officer and volunteer from Station 203 on Llewellyn Road.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Philomath Police Department assisted at the scene. The Corvallis Fire Department sent an ambulance although it was determined that medical transportation to the hospital was not needed.
Crews also worked the scene to take care of a minor fluid spill that occurred as a result of the crash.