Listen to four calls into 9-1-1 dispatch, reporting the wrong-way driver.
(SALEM) - Oregon State Police troopers were called out from their residences early Friday morning to respond to a fatal traffic crash that resulted in the death of a wrong way driver after his vehicle crashed head-on with a commercial truck in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 south of Salem.
At approximately 3:32 AM, the Oregon State Police Northern Command Center dispatch received the first of 8 calls within a two-minute period reporting a wrong way driver southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 253.
In addition to these citizen reports, Marion County emergency dispatch reported to OSP that their 9-1-1 center received at least ten similar calls.
At approximately 3:36 AM, reports began to come into dispatch reporting a head-on crash involving a wrong way driver in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 247.
Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies initially responded as OSP troopers were being called out due to no troopers on duty to respond out of the Salem or Albany OSP offices.
Preliminary investigation indicates a 2000 Chrysler 300 four-door driven by 45-year-old Kevin Renfrow, from Aberdeen, Washington, was southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 247 when it crashed head-on with a commercial truck in the center lane of three northbound lanes.
Renfrow was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The truck driver, 45-year-old Mark Presley, from Albany, was not injured.
He was using safety restraints and was driving for Petroleum Cargo Carriers out of Portland.
Oregon State Police troopers from the Salem Area Command, with the assistance of an OSP crash reconstructionist, are continuing the investigation.
Troopers were called out to respond to this crash.
The only trooper on duty at the time was involved in the shooting investigation on Highway 22 in the Stayton area.
Alcohol is being investigated as a possible contributing factor.
Listen to the 9-1-1 calls:
UPDATE: Washington Man Killed Going Wrong Way on I-5 South of Salem (AUDIO)
Salem-News.com