Driver Arrested Following Alcohol-InvolvedCrash Injuring Children - Highway 6 west of Banks (Photo)

News Release from: Oregon State Police
DRIVER ARRESTED FOLLOWING ALCOHOL-INVOLVEDCRASH INJURING CHILDREN - HIGHWAY 6 WEST OF BANKS (PHOTO)
Posted: March 5th, 2013 9:45 AM
Photo/sound file: http://www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2013-03/1002/62224/Evans.jpg (Matthew Evans)

A Vancouver, Washington man was arrested early Tuesday morning following an investigation into a single vehicle injury traffic crash that occurred on a stretch of Highway 6 west of Banks recently identified by ODOT as one of several locations with a high rate of roadway departure crashes. The man's three children, ages 6 months to 5 years, were injured and taken to area hospitals.

On March 5, 2013 at approximately 12:05 a.m., a 2002 Ford Explorer driven by MATTHEW D. EVANS, age 25, from Vancouver, Washington, was traveling eastbound on Highway 6 near milepost 35 when it went off the roadway, collided with a guardrail and rolled over coming to rest in a ditch on the south side of the highway. The driver was accompanied in the vehicle by his three children ages 6 months, 2 years, and 5 years. The children's names are not available for release.

The 2-year old daughter was ejected and transported by ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The 5-year old daughter and 6-month old son received minor injuries and were transported by relatives to a hospital. EVANS received minor injuries and refused medical attention.

Oregon State Police (OSP), Washington County Sheriff's Office, and Forest Grove Fire & Rescue personnel responded to the crash. OSP Trooper Will Brindza is the lead investigator. Subsequent investigation led to EVANS arrest on the following charges:

* DUII
* Reckless Driving
* Recklessly Endangering Another Person (3 counts)
* Assault in the Fourth Degree (3 counts)

EVANS was lodged in the Washington County Jail. (Evans photograph courtesy of Washington County Sheriff's Office. No scene photographs available for this release)

A "roadway departure crash" is defined as a non-intersection crash which occurs after a vehicle crosses an edge line or a centerline, or otherwise leaves the traveled portion of the roadway. Examples include crashing head-on, sideswiping another vehicle, and traveling off the highway and rolling over or colliding with a fixed object.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, roadway departure crashes account for 53 percent of all fatal traffic crashes. In Oregon, these types of crashes account for approximately 66 percent of all fatalities.

ODOT awarded OSP grant funds to provide over 1,600 hours of overtime enforcement spread out for use on several selected state highway locations through the end of September 2013. The goal is to help lower these types of crashes in specific highway locations identified as some of the worst areas in the state. ODOT identified the highway locations following a review of crash analysis data that pointed at crash types, causes, dates, day(s) of week, and time periods. The enforcement strategy is in addition to ODOT engineering work that is also helping reduce these crash types in the selected areas.

Additional information about the grant funding provided to OSP is available on our website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/NEWSRL/Pages/news/02_14_2013_roadway_departure_crash_grant.aspx.

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###

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