State patrol: Ridgefield woman causes head-on crash, cited for DUI

Photo by Washington State Patrol The driver of this SUV drove the wrong way on the Interstate 5 southbound ramp to the Ridgefield Fairgrounds, crashing head-on into a big rig. She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants.

By Emily Gillespie
Columbian staff writer

Originally published February 13, 2013 at 7:03 a.m., updated February 13, 2013 at 9:11 p.m.

A Ridgefield woman was in serious condition Wednesday after the Washington State Patrol said she caused a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer on an Interstate 5 offramp.

Megan E. Eussen, 49, was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way on a limited access road on Tuesday, Trooper Will Finn said.

The 2012 Honda CRV she was driving was totaled after she drove the vehicle northbound on the Exit 9 offramp from southbound I-5 to the Clark County Events Center at the Fairgrounds in Ridgefield, according to a Washington State Patrol bulletin.

Eussen told troopers she was on her way to pick up her children.

The head-on crash occurred about 3:40 p.m. when the big rig was taking the exit to Northeast 179th Street.

Eussen was injured and transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where hospital staff listed her in satisfactory condition Wednesday night. Her right arm was broken and she had a black eye, Finn said.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Sergey Garibov, 56, of Vancouver, was not injured, according to the patrol.

The exit was closed for about two hours and traffic was backed up for four to five miles on the interstate.

Investigators are awaiting results of Eussen’s blood test.

PeaceHealth lists her as a pediatrician at one of its clinics, Evergreen Pediatric Clinic.