Five Sustain Significant Injuries In Accident

On Thursday, March 13th, rangers received a report of a motor vehicle accident and blocked highway two miles south of the Kelso Depot Visitor Center. Ranger Tim Duncan was first on scene and coordinated the response. Three large vans carrying students from a college geology class had been heading south on Kelbaker Road when the lead van stopped in the road. The second van was able to stop in time to avoid hitting it, but the third van rear-ended the first two at a speed of more than 45 mph. There were a total of 16 people in the three vans and most of them were not wearing seatbelts. Two were seriously injured and three others sustained moderate injuries; one of them was flown out and the other four were transported by ambulances. The remaining members of the group were evaluated, found to have sustained only minor injuries, and released at the scene. This incident quickly overwhelmed the limited staff on hand, who had to provide patient care, control traffic and direct a helicopter landing.