Teen Killed, Three Others Injured in Fiery I-5 Crash Near Canyonville; Truck Driver Arrested

A crash on Interstate 5 near Canyonville left one person dead and three others injured Monday afternoon after a stalled commercial truck was struck from behind and both vehicles caught fire, according to Oregon State Police.

Troopers responded to the crash around 3 p.m. on April 6 near milepost 90 in Douglas County.

A preliminary investigation found that a white Freightliner commercial truck hauling a loaded trailer was traveling northbound on I-5 when it stalled on an uphill grade in the outside lane. Police said the truck had stalled multiple times while climbing the grade before the collision.

Investigators said a maroon Honda CRV then crashed into the stalled truck. The impact caused the Honda and cargo being hauled by the Freightliner to catch fire.

The driver of the Honda, 18-year-old Davin Jack Smith of El Sobrante, California, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers in the Honda, 60-year-old Lawrence Wayne Smith Jr. and 18-year-old Annika Jace Smith, both of El Sobrante, California, were flown to area hospitals with serious injuries.

A third passenger, 19-year-old Ivan Amadeo Gonzalez of Hercules, California, was taken by ground ambulance to a hospital with reported minor injuries.

State police said the Honda occupants included a father and his twin children, along with a family friend.

The driver of the Freightliner, 61-year-old Brenden Larry Christensen of San Diego, California, was not injured.

According to Oregon State Police, impairment is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash. Christensen was arrested on charges of DUII and manslaughter.

The highway was impacted for about three hours while crews investigated the scene.

OSP said the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Canyonville Fire Department, Glendale Valley Fire Department, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.