Driver trapped for seven hours after crash

Fri., Sept. 7, 2007

By Amy Cannata amyc@spokesman.com

A Canadian truck driver was rescued Thursday morning near Cusick after spending seven hours trapped in the cab of his truck, which rolled rounding a curve on Highway 20.

A Washington State Patrol trooper arrived about 1:45 a.m., said Trooper Mark Baker.

The cab of the truck was buried under cut lumber, and crews spent hours trying to reach the driver, 51-year-old Orin Seidel, of Revelstoke, B.C.

Rescue crews cleared the lumber shortly after 6 a.m. and found Seidel alive and in stable condition. It then took more than two hours to get him out of the crushed vehicle.

“His cab had rolled onto its side and crushed him,” said Spokane County Fire District 4 Deputy Chief Dave Phillips. “The space we were working in was real tight and small.”

The district was called in to assist Pend Oreille County volunteer firefighters at about 6 a.m.

Phillips said rescue crews had to use a “last-ditch” technique to free Seidel. They used tow truck equipment to lift the cab of the semi up about six inches, relieving the pressure on Seidel’s leg so he could be removed.

Seidel was flown to Deaconess Medical Center for treatment.

The crash was at milepost 410 of the highway. WSP investigators say excessive speed caused the accident.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.