An alcohol-tinged road rage incident triggered the partial closure of the Interstate 205 Glenn Jackson Bridge overnight after it left a semi-truck and trailers sprawled across the southbound lanes.
The bridge was reopened to all traffic about 5:45 a.m.
Portland police officers believe a road rage incident at about 2:30 a.m. involving a 1998 Honda Civic and a red Pontiac Grand Am caused a collision with the semi-truck, according to a press release. The truck, which was hauling two trailers, was not a party in the highway scuffle, police say.
According to witnesses, the Honda and the Pontiac drove side by side, recklessly, beginning in Washington.
Soon after they crossed the border into Oregon, the Honda struck the semi-truck’s left rear axel, causing the driver of the truck to lose control and drive over the Honda, nearly flattening it.
The truck tilted up on its right wheels until it hit the center divider and fell to its side. The second trailer dislodged and came to rest in the middle of the bridge, police said.
The Pontiac avoided the crash that spanned about 700 feet, according to police.
Ilya Anikin, 21, was driving the Honda. He and his passenger climbed from the wrecked vehicle and ran to the northbound lanes where they attempted to flag down passing cars. Unable to get any drivers to stop, the pair returned to the car and waited for emergency personnel.
The two were transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center for precautionary reasons.
Anikin of Portland was cited by state troopers in both Oregon and Washington for DUII. He was cited in Oregon for reckless driving.
The semi-truck’s driver was not injured and was not cited.
Anyone with information about the red Pontiac is asked to contact the Portland Police Bureau at (503) 823-4357. The car was not believed to have been damaged.
