Tragedy struck the otherwise quiet roads of I-84 in the early hours of Thursday when a woman fatally collided with an ambulance while tending to her flat tire. According to KOIN, Oregon State Police reported that the incident occurred around 12:45 a.m. near milepost 54 in Hood River County. The victim was identified as Geraldean Edna Martin, 55, of Portland. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The ambulance, a Ford Econoline from American Medical Response (AMR), was being driven by 42-year-old Amanda Hancock of Benton City, Washington, who, according to Oregon State Police, veered out of the travel lane and struck Martin’s Chevrolet Camaro. At the time of the accident, Hancock was accompanied by two passengers, including one patient. KPTV reports that neither Hancock nor her passengers were injured during the crash.
Authorities shut down the impacted section of I-84 for approximately four hours to manage the scene and begin an investigation. The cause of the crash has not been disclosed as the inquiry is ongoing, and further details are expected as the investigation progresses. The area around milepost 54, near Starvation Creek State Park, was the site of the fatal collision, as per The Outlook Online.
