Kenneth Whelchel Fatally Injured in Marion County Accident on Interstate 5 near Milepost 277 in Marion County
Marion County, OR. – Kenneth Lee Whelchel, 31, of Dallas was killed in a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 5 in Marion County Thursday morning.
According to the Oregon State Police, the mishap occurred at around 5:26 a.m. on Interstate 5 near milepost 277.
Reportedly, a black Volkswagen Golf, operated by Christopher Lee Connely, 35, of Cascade Locks, was traveling northbound on the freeway behind a maroon Dodge Ram driven by Robert Allen Morton, 59, of Salem.
For an unknown reason, the Volkswagen rear-ended the Dodge pickup truck, causing the Dodge to lose control and spin across the travel lanes.
A silver Nissan Altima, operated by Julia Cesar Garcia, 30, of Albany, traveling behind the Volkswagen and Dodge, could not avoid the crash and collided with the Dodge.
Both the Dodge and Volkswagen then continued across the cable barrier into the southbound lanes of the freeway. A silver Ford Ranger, operated by Whelchel was traveling southbound when it was struck. The Ranger’s operator lost control, crashed into the barrier, and came to a stop about one-quarter mile down the highway.
Whelchel was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Connely was transported to an area hospital by LifeFlight with serious injuries.
Morton and Garcia sustained minor injuries and were not transported by medics.
No more details regarding the mishap were provided.
An investigation is ongoing.
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