I-205 wreck snarls traffic both ways; one hurt

A Vancouver woman was hospitalized after another driver struck her vehicle when he tried changing lanes on Interstate 205 Friday morning, which sent both cars spinning, caused a four-vehicle pileup and jammed the morning commute, according to the Washington State Patrol.

All four vehicles involved were heading north on the bridge near the exit to state Highway 14 around 6 a.m., the state patrol said.
Seth R. Saidman, 35, of Portland, attempted to change lanes to the right, and his van struck a car driven by Briana L. Clark, 25, of Vancouver.

Both vehicles spun to the left shoulder and hit the barrier. Clark’s car then spun back into the roadway, where it was hit by another car, driven by Washougal’s Sarah E. Nidick, 22. That impact then sent Clark’s car into a tractor-trailer.

The crash totaled Clark’s Honda Civic, and she was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center for her injuries. The hospital said she was there in satisfactory condition that afternoon.

The truck driver — Singh Balraj, 26, of Yuba City, Calif. — was unhurt, as were the other drivers, the state patrol said.

The crash blocked multiple lanes on the bridge. More than an hour later, only the far right lane of traffic was getting by. All but the left lane was reopened at about 7 a.m. By then, the commute was terrible.

The sight of the collision across the freeway apparently caused southbound drivers to slow. Traffic was basically stopped all the way back to Highway 500, but the northbound traffic jam was contained to the bridge.

Drivers could cut over and use Interstate 5, however, westbound traffic on Mill Plain Boulevard was closed just west of I-205 for an investigation into a fatal traffic accident on that road. That investigation lasted for several hours.

The state patrol said an unsafe lane change caused the crash, and said charges may be pending.

Everyone had their seat belts on, the state patrol said, and drugs or alcohol weren’t involved.