Just after noon, Monday, February 21st,, 2022, the Oregon State Police was notified of a motor vehicle crash on Interstate 84 westbound about 21 miles east of Pendleton involving numerous motor vehicles. Officers were notified of additional crashes while responding, and once on scene, officers could hear crashes occurring behind them.
Initial scene response revealed multiple motor vehicle crashes along an approximately one-mile-long stretch of the road involving passenger cars and commercial motor vehicles. Early estimation were that as many as 98 vehicles had crashed in the area.
The Oregon State Police along with several local agencies worked together throughout the night to remove over 170 vehicles out of the 1.75 mile stretch of the interstate. Uninjured persons who could not otherwise drive from the scene due to the blockage or damaged vehicles were transported to the Pendleton Convention Center for reunification.
A total of 71 people were transported from the crash scene to the convention center and local hotels as needed. Initial numbers collected were that there were 17 patients transported from the crash scene to the hospital with an additional 2 transported after having arrived at the reunification center.
The 1.75 mile stretch of the interstate freeway between Pendleton and La Grande, was reopened Tuesday morning, with eastbound lanes opening around midnight and the westbound lanes reopening at approximately 6:30am by Oregon Department of Transportation crews.
