Three injured in Hwy 34 crash, 2-year-old escapes unharmed
ALSEA, Ore. -- An SUV drove off an embankment alongside Highway 34 Saturday, injuring three of the occupants while a 2-year-old child inside the vehicle remained unhurt, State police said.
Officials said that at around noon Saturday Evelyn Brown, 56 or Waldport, was driving west with three other passengers, Ben Floss, 27, Lacy Gustafson, 31, and Gustafson's 2-year-old son. Brown lost control of her SUV when she came out of a curve near milepost 25.
The vehicle crossed the highway, hit a guardrail, jumped a berm and fell down an embankment.
The SUV stopped in heavy brush, just yards away from a river.
Brown had to be extricated from the vehicle by responding emergency crews. She was driven to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis.
Gustafson and Floss were taken to Samaritan Pacific Communities hospital in Newport with minor injuries. Gustafson's son was uninjured.
Everyone inside the SUV was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Officials believe that a buildup of wet leaves may have contributed to brown losing control of the vehicle. They ask drivers to use caution and slow down in areas of road covered in leaves.
Ben Sloss not Floss and The little one is three yrs old...also Ben's shoulder was out of place, he climbed out of the SUV with his arm just hanging limp, in a great deal of pain and shock and was able to make his way up to the hywy to flag down help...which several people stopped and were of great help.Â