A crash investigation on Highway 26 nearly turned into a disaster when a second impaired driver steered around cones and emergency lights and pushed into a closed crash scene, narrowly missing a Beaverton police officer who was working an earlier collision. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUII, and the first crash had already sent a motorcyclist to the hospital, according to officials. Police and Oregon Department of Transportation crews had shut down part of the freeway to create a safety buffer for first responders, and the department used the near miss to repeat its warning to drivers to slow down, move over and follow traffic control.
Video Shows Second Impaired Driver Thread Into Closed Scene
The department shared the video Monday, showing a vehicle weaving past traffic-control points and rolling straight into the shut-down scene while officers and ODOT workers were on foot nearby, a moment police described as a “close call.” In the post, investigators say they determined alcohol and marijuana were contributing factors, that the second driver was arrested for DUII, and that the original crash had sent a motorcycle rider to the hospital. “Thankfully no one was injured in this incident,” the post notes, before closing with a familiar reminder to “slow down, move over, follow traffic control and never drive impaired,” according to the Beaverton Police Department.
Why Moving Over Is Not Optional
Shutting down a lane and parking marked police and ODOT vehicles between traffic and a crash scene is standard procedure to shield responders, but that barrier only works if approaching drivers respect the closures. Oregon’s driver manual tells motorists to either change lanes or slow down when they come upon stopped emergency vehicles so crews have room to work safely. National responder-safety advocates and recent public-awareness efforts warn that “struck-by” incidents, when a passing vehicle hits a responder or bystander, remain a serious roadside danger, so slowing and moving over are treated as basic survival rules, per the Oregon Department of Transportation and ResponderSafety.org.
What a DUII Arrest Can Mean in Oregon
Beaverton police say the second driver was arrested for DUII, a charge that is handled under Oregon state law and can bring fines, license suspensions and other penalties if there is a conviction. The exact outcome depends on the details of the case and any prior record, and drivers can face both criminal consequences and administrative action on their license. For a plain-language explanation of how Oregon approaches driving under the influence and related penalties, see the state briefing from the Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office at Oregon Legislative Publications.
What Police Want Drivers and Witnesses To Do
Investigators asked anyone who has video or other information about the incident to contact nonemergency dispatch. The department’s contact page lists 503-629-0111 for nonemergency reports, according to the Beaverton Police Department. Officials repeated their core message for drivers near crash scenes and road work: slow down, move over and obey traffic-control devices so officers, medics and road crews can do their jobs without becoming patients themselves.
