I-5 south reopens after crash involving semi truck, boat trailer

WILSONVILLE, Ore. - A crash involving a semi truck and an SUV pulling a boat on a trailer snarled southbound traffic on Interstate 5 Tuesday morning.

The crash sent the boat tumbling into the roadway, blocking southbound lanes and backing up traffic for miles.

Bruce A. Hecht, 56, of Portland was driving a Chevrolet Suburban pulling a boat on a trailer in the right lane when he passed a semi truck in the center lane, state police said. As the Suburban slowed down for traffic, it began to jackknife and the trailer slid sideways.

The semi truck hit the trailer, knocking the boat into the road, then crashed into the Suburban. The truck spilled diesel fuel onto the road after the crash, police said.

Medics took the truck driver, 42-year-old Chuck Ruby of Salem, to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

One southbound lane was reopened at 10:40 a.m. and all southbound lanes were reopened just before 12 p.m.