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UPDATE: SR-14, near Salmon Falls Road, reopens

Truck driver involved in oil spill receives a ticket for negligent driving

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Chris Allworth, of Washougal, was on his way to work at the Bonneville Dam Tuesday, at about 5:50 a.m., when he saw an overturned semi-truck that had been pulling two tanker cars, on State Route 14 between Salmon Falls Road and Belle Center Road. Approximately 3,000 gallons of oil spilled as a result of the accident that occurred at about 5:25 a.m. (Photo contributed by Chris Allworth)

State Route 14 reopened Wednesday morning, after an oil spill occurred the day before, about nine miles east of Washougal.
Additional work is planned, and both directions of SR-14 will alternate through a single lane for the next several days.
The driver of a semi-truck that was pulling two tanker cars loaded with hot oil Tuesday was allegedly speeding and issued an infraction for second-degree negligent driving.
About 3,000 gallons of oil were spilled as a result of the accident which occurred at approximately 5:25 a.m., on State Route 14, at Milepost 26, between Salmon Falls Road and Belle Center Road.
According to a Washington State Patrol report, the truck driven by Juan Williams Jr., 49, of Yuma, Arizona, was entering a curve to the right and went off the roadway to the left. The rear tanker rolled onto its left side.
The combination of semi-truck and trailers then crossed the roadway and struck the eastbound guardrail.
“It appears the contributing circumstances for the collision were speed too fast for the conditions and defective equipment — brakes and suspension issues,” said WSP Trooper Stephen Robley.
“The curve has a cautionary speed of 40 mph,” he added. “The trooper at the scene believes the semi-truck and trailers was going about 55 to 60 mph, based on what the driver told him of how the collision occurred.”
Williams was wearing a safety belt and was not injured.
A detour had been taking drivers around the scene via Salmon Falls Road.