Life Flight called to I-5 crash south of Woodland

A Vancouver man was airlifted to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries following a crash on northbound Interstate 5 south of Woodland.

The crash, reported at about 8 a.m. Monday near the North Fork Lewis River Bridge, involved a flatbed truck and a delivery truck, said Clark County Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Dawdy.

The delivery truck driver, identified by the Washington State Patrol as Maksim Les, 20, of Vancouver, had his leg pinned in the vehicle after rear-ending the flatbed, Dawdy said. While emergency crews were working to remove the driver, Life Flight was called to the scene, Dawdy said.

“They were able to start treating him with blood products immediately,” Dawdy said.

Woodland police officers secured Life Flight’s landing zone, Washington State Patrol secured the crash scene and the Washington State Department of Transportation dealt with environmental issues such as fluid leaks.

“It was really a team effort,” Dawdy said.

Les was taken to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, where he was listed in serious condition Monday evening. The driver of the flatbed truck, 46-year-old Lloyd Cooper of Longview, was injured but not taken to a hospital, WSP said.

Troopers said that the crash was caused by Les following too closely. Any charges or infractions related to the case are pending, WSP said.