A Sweet Home man was rescued and his young passenger suffered serious injuries Friday evening, July 15, after his commercial motor vehicle crashed down an embankment along Highway 20 near Sweet Home.
The Oregon State Police reported they are investigating possible driver impairment in the incident, which was reported shortly before 6 p.m. Friday.
Police said that 41-year-old Timothy Wade Shockey, who also has a Terrebonne address, was traveling west on Highway 20 when it tumbled down the north side of the road and came to rest near the Santiam River.
Shockey was rescued and transported by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries. His passenger, whose name and age were not released, sustained serious injuries, the extent of which were unknown, and was taken by Life Flight to a Portland-area hospital.
Shockey’s vehicle was recovered Saturday.
Emergency crews work Friday, July 15, at the scene where a commercial motor vehicle went down an embankment along Highway 20 near Sweet Home. Two people were injured in the crash.
According to Linn County Circuit Court records, Shockey was charged July 19 with driving under the influence of an intoxicating liquor, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, second-degree assault, and first-degree animal abuse.
The assault charge indicates Shockey allegedly caused serious injury to Genevieve Shockey “by means of a deadly or dangerous weapon under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.” The animal abuse charge alleges Shockey “did unlawfully and intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, and cruelly cause the death of” a dog.
The District Attorney’s Office indicated it will ask the court to impose an enhanced sentence based on the fact that “the degree of loss or harm was significantly greater than typical for such offense.”Personnel from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.
Bail was set at $200,000
– Lebanon Local Staff