Semi crashes, dumps load of lumber on state Highway 14 near Camas

A tractor-trailer truck crashed into a concrete median on state Highway 14 near Camas on Monday morning, toppling its load of lumber onto the freeway.

Washington State Patrol troopers responded shortly after 8 a.m. to the crash near Alpine Lane, a few miles west of downtown Camas.

Trooper spokesman Will Finn said in an email that the semi drifted off the highway onto the right shoulder. The driver re-entered the road, crossed both westbound lanes and struck the concrete median, Finn said.

The semi came to rest on the left shoulder against the barrier, blocking the left lane. It was pulling two flatbed trailers, carrying lumber, according to WSP.

“The lumber was knocked free of the trailers and fell to the roadway, blocking both westbound lanes. Traffic was able to get by on the right shoulder for a short period of time before both lanes were blocked,” Finn said.

The lanes were blocked for about one hour and 24 minutes for clean-up efforts. The crash caused backups on both directions of the highway.

Medics took the semi’s driver to the hospital as a precaution; they complained of left-side chest pain and head pain.

Transportation department crews helped with traffic control and used a plow to assist a tow company in removing the lumber from the highway.