Salem-News.com Santiam Pass articles

Salem Man`s Unique Birthday Gift: Surviving a 300 Foot Plunge in the Santiam Pass

Peter Chamberlain celebrates life more poignantly this year.

(SANTIAM CANYON, Ore.) - Police say a Salem-area man survived a Thursday morning crash in the Santiam Pass area in which he lost control of his sport utility vehicle, crashed through a guardrail.

The vehicle left the road and traveled approximately 300 feet down an embankment before coming to a stop.

Salem Man Dies After Losing Control Near Santiam Pass

Crash on Highway 22 happened in an area where icy spots were reported.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers are continuing the investigation into Thursday morning's two-vehicle fatal traffic crash on Highway 22 west of Santiam Pass. The crash resulted in the death of a Salem man and minor injuries to another person.

OSP Sergeant Mark Davie says today at approximately 10:30 a.m. a 1998 Ford Mustang driven by 52-year old Robert W. Fickel of Salem, was eastbound on Highway 22 near milepost 76 enroute to Madras when he lost control.

Salem Woman Fatally Injured After Falling Off Motorcycle (PHOTOS)

The single vehicle crash happened on Highway 22, west of Santiam Pass Junction‏.

(SANTIAM PASS, Ore.) - Police say a Salem-area woman died after she apparently fell off the motorcycle she was a passenger on as she and her husband traveled on Highway 22 west of the Santiam Junction.

Preliminary information indicates the operator noticed his wife slumping behind him and tried to hold on to her to keep her from falling off the motorcycle. Despite his attempt to keep her on, she fell off onto the highway.

Two Injured in Crash on Highway 22 in Santiam Pass Saturday

Both drivers were using safety restraints and both vehicles' airbags deployed.

(SANTIAM PASS, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers are continuing an investigation into a two vehicle serious injury traffic crash Saturday morning on Highway 22 on Santiam Pass.

OSP Senior Trooper Gary Martin says that around 11:00 AM, a sport utility vehicle was eastbound on Highway 22 near milepost 81 when it lost control on the icy roadway and collided head-on with a westbound passenger car.

Slides and Unstable Snowpack Keep U.S. 20 at Santiam Pass Closed

ODOT advises motorists to avoid traveling through the Cascade passes today because of expectations of heavy snowfall. Other conditional closures are possible if conditions worsen.

(DETROIT, Ore.) - U.S. 20 will remain closed from milepost 75 to milepost 80 for most of the day because of the snow slides that occurred at about 6:30 AM. In addition, there is a high probability of more slides from slopes above the highway due to the unstable snowpack coupled with blizzard conditions and high wind gusts.

ODOT crews with snow blowers and snow plows are removing the slide debris that came down this morning, but it is snowing so hard that as soon as crews clear a lane, it quickly becomes snowed over again.