Pickup Driver Killed In Crash With Steamroller

Sun., June 29, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

A West Linn man died early Saturday when his pickup truck crashed head-on into a steamroller at a highway construction site.

The crash occurred on a section of U.S. Highway 26 that had been closed for repaving.

The operator of the steamroller, Gary Aprill of Redmond, said he saw the pickup truck heading straight for him and tried to move the heavy equipment out of the way. But the steamroller was too slow to avoid the collision, Washington County sheriff’s Sgt. Rich Hildreth said.

Thomas Cole Moore, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene.

There was no indication that the driver of the eastbound pickup truck had attempted to slow down. Sheriff’s investigators say the crash may have been alcohol-related.

The sheriff’s department said the construction zone was well marked with a lighted directional sign and traffic barrels and cones.

Highway workers flagged down a passing sheriff’s deputy shortly after the crash, which occurred about 12:30 a.m.

Aprill was not injured.

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