Hood River man disputes allegations he struck ODOT workers after driving through I-84 closure
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., July 16, 2026 — A Hood River man arrested after allegedly driving through a closed Interstate 84 off-ramp and striking two Oregon Department of Transportation workers in Hood River says he never hit anyone and intends to contest the allegations in court.
The incident began about 2:12 a.m. July 15 when an Oregon State Police trooper responded to a commercial motor vehicle crash on Interstate 84 eastbound at Milepost 64. According to an Oregon State Police crash report, the driver of a Peterbilt semi-truck fell asleep, struck a guardrail and came to rest partially blocking the roadway while the attached trailer stopped between the Exit 64 off-ramp and the eastbound travel lanes. The driver was cited for failure to drive within a lane.
According to Oregon State Police, the crash forced ODOT to close the Exit 64 eastbound off-ramp while crews removed the damaged truck and trailer.
OSP said Gregory Adam Polanski, 43, of Hood River, drove a white Porsche through the closure after telling workers he needed to take the exit to get to work in Washington.
Exit 64 leads to the Hood River Bridge.
Offramp location in Hood River.
Police allege the Porsche struck two ODOT workers before Polanski left the scene. Neither worker was injured, and both declined medical treatment, according to OSP.
Lt. Jason Calloway of the Oregon State Police told CCCNews that investigators based the allegation on statements from the ODOT workers, who reported that the driver's-side mirror of the Porsche struck one or both of them, causing the mirror to fold backward.
According to Oregon State Police, troopers located Polanski later that day and arrested him on charges of reckless driving, two counts of recklessly endangering another person and recklessly endangering highway workers.
In an interview with CCCNews on Thursday afternoon, Polanski said he agrees with much of the police account but said it was not clear the exit was closed.
He strongly disputes the allegation that he struck either worker.
"Absolutely not. I did not hit anyone," Polanski said.
According to Polanski, the closure appeared confusing because he believed there was an intentional opening between two parked Oregon State Police vehicles at the top of the off-ramp. He said the roadway ahead appeared clear, with no debris blocking the exit.
"It looked like the exit was open," Polanski said. "There was a clear line of sight through."
Polanski said he lowered his window and briefly spoke with a worker near the top of the off-ramp before continuing downhill because he believed the exit remained open. He said he later stopped near a group of ODOT workers farther down the ramp after they flagged him down.
According to Polanski, workers instructed him to turn around and drive back up the off-ramp. He said he believed doing so would have been more dangerous than continuing forward because it would have placed him near the crash scene.
"I told them I wasn't going to turn around," Polanski said. "I believed it was unsafe."
Polanski said workers became upset and yelled as he slowly rolled forward. He said one worker struck the passenger-side mirror of his Porsche with a hand.
"One guy punched my mirror," Polanski said. "I stopped, leaned out the window and checked for damage. Nothing was really damaged, so I continued to work."
Polanski denied driving recklessly through the closure or making contact with either worker.
"I did not go flying through there and hit two people," Polanski said. "That's not what happened."
According to Polanski, he went to work after leaving the area because he believed he had done nothing wrong. While at work, he said he was contacted by the Hood River Police Department regarding the incident. Polanski said he told officers he would address the matter after returning to Oregon at the end of his workday.
Polanski said that after crossing the Hood River Bridge that evening, he found Oregon State Police troopers waiting for him. According to Polanski, troopers stopped his vehicle, interviewed him and ultimately decided to arrest him before booking him into the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility.
"I was entirely cooperative," Polanski said.
Polanski said he believes ODOT workers were understandably frustrated after dealing with the earlier truck crash and other motorists who mistakenly attempted to use the closed off-ramp, but he maintains he never struck anyone.
"I'm sure those guys were incredibly upset," Polanski said. "I believe there was no wrongdoing."
The central dispute in the case concerns what happened between Polanski's Porsche and the ODOT workers. According to the workers' statements relayed by Oregon State Police, the Porsche's driver's-side mirror struck one or both workers, causing the mirror to fold backward. Polanski, however, maintains the opposite occurred, saying one of the workers punched the mirror with his hand and that his vehicle never made contact with any person.
The charges against Polanski are allegations, and the case will be decided in court. Oregon State Police has not publicly responded to Polanski's account beyond the allegations contained in the criminal investigation.
