ISP investigating 9 vehicle crash in Boise that included a truck hauling 65,000 lbs. of lumber
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The following is a news release and photo from Idaho State Police.
Idaho State Police Troopers are investigating a crash that involved nine vehicles and blocked or delayed traffic on Interstate 84 for much of the day today in Boise.
At this time, one Boise woman remains hospitalized with what are reported to be life-threatening injuries. Three others were transported to nearby hospitals with reportedly minor injuries. The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.
Idaho State Police Troopers were dispatched to a report of a multi-vehicle crash including a semi on fire on Interstate 84 near the Cloverdale overpass this morning at 7:34 a.m.
When Troopers arrived, they found a semi hauling 65,000 pounds of lumber on fire in the median, with debris and wreckage from the crash blocking nearly all eight lanes of travel in both east and westbound lanes.
At this time, it appears the incident began in the eastbound lanes when the driver of a red Toyota Tacoma pickup, a 28-year-old man from Parma, made a sudden lane change, hitting the semi loaded with lumber. That semi sideswiped an eastbound passenger vehicle before crashing through the concrete median, catching fire, and hitting a westbound semi that jack-knifed.
Investigators believe flying debris from one of the semis hit the roof of a westbound Toyota Camry. The impact appears to have knocked the driver unconscious, but her vehicle continued forward. The Camry was located .45 miles past the initial crash scene still in a westbound lane. The driver, a 27-year-old woman from Boise, was taken to the hospital with what are reportedly life-threatening injuries.
Three others were transported to nearby hospitals with what are reported to be minor injuries; the driver of the red Toyota Tacoma, a 28-year-old man from Boise who was the driver of the semi hauling lumber, and a 40-year-old man from Nampa who was driving an eastbound white Toyota Tacoma pickup.
In all, the chain reaction from the initial impact involved six eastbound vehicles and three westbound vehicles including a semi in each direction.
Clearing vehicles from the scene remains ongoing. As of 4:05 p.m., two lanes of travel remain blocked in each direction. All but one lane of travel each way was blocked for most of the morning and all eastbound lanes were blocked for more than an hour before crews were able to open two lanes in each direction shortly after noon. The blockage caused traffic back-ups for miles both east and westbound. Delays continue at this hour while road crews work clear debris and repair the roadway.
Idaho State Police would like to thank the other emergency response agencies who immediately came to the scene to assist those involved and aid in the investigation and scene management. Troopers’ gratitude goes out to Boise and Meridian Police, the Ada County Sheriff’s Department, Ada County EMS, Boise and Meridian Fire, the Idaho Transportation Department, and responding tow companies.
This incident remains under active investigation by the Idaho State Police.