Crashes accumulate in storm

A minivan traveling west on state Highway 14 east of 192nd Avenue overturned during a heavy downpour Friday. Two people were injured. (Steven Lane/The Columbian)

Heavy rains starting about 1:30 p.m. Friday contributed to an estimated 15 to 20 accidents on Interstate 5, Interstate 205, state Highway 503 and state Highway 14 in Clark County, snarling traffic for hours.

As of 5 p.m., when things seemed to quiet down a bit, Trooper Stephen Robley with the Washington State Patrol said the accidents were largely caused by drivers going too fast for road and weather conditions, with many following too close and not paying enough attention.

Some were taken to hospitals, but Robley said he wasn't aware of any serious injuries.

At 2 p.m., three troopers were called in two hours early to deal with the accidents, and a detective was assigned to road duty, as well.

A few weeks of mostly dry weather allowed oil leaking from cars and trucks to seep into and collect in crevices in the pavement, Robley said, and the sudden rains caused the oil to surface.

For the first 15 to 20 minutes, roads would be extra-slick, a condition that would gradually disperse as rainwater washed the oil away, Robley said.

But the rains continued and the roads remained wet for several hours.

The series of crashes started about 1:30 p.m., at the same time heavy rain pummelled the area.

A three-vehicle injury crash reported on northbound I-205 near Northeast 18th Street blocked traffic significantly for at least an hour. Troopers and emergency personnel responded and managed to clear most of the vehicles.

An hour later, though, traffic was still inching by, according to Washington State Patrol dispatchers, who were advising all motorists to avoid I-205 in both directions.

Meanwhile, a slew of other crashes were reported on I-5 and I-205. At least three accidents were reported on I-5 in the Salmon Creek area around 2 p.m., and another four on I-205.

A four-vehicle crash was reported shortly before 5 p.m. at Highway 500 at Northeast Fourth Plain Road.

Details in two of the crashes from which people were taken to a hospital:

• Shortly after 2 p.m., Tuyen Hoang, 22, of Portland was driving a 2003 Infiniti south on I-205 near Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard in the left lane when she lost control on the wet road and spun out, according to a WSP bulletin. The Infiniti crashed into the left-side guardrail and stopped in the center lane. She suffered a foot injury.
  
  She was treated at Southwest Washington Medical Center and released, a hospital employee said.
  
  The Infiniti was totaled and Hoang was ticketed for driving too fast for road and weather conditions, the bulletin said.
  
  
• At 2:50 p.m., a 1994 Nissan Quest minivan driven by Jamie Marie Becker, 47, of Vancouver was headed west on Highway 14, a mile east of Vancouver, when its tires hydroplaned and Becker lost control.
  
  The van veered right into a ditch, hit an embankment and rolled onto its top, according to a WSP bulletin.
  
  Becker and her passenger, 15-year-old Catherine Becker, were treated at the medical center and released.
  
  Like the others, the crash was caused by driving too fast for road and weather conditions, the bulletin said, and the driver was ticketed for speeding. The van was totaled.