Troopers injured in Hwy 197 wreck now stable; crash remains under investigation, packs personal impact

Looking north on the overramp on Hwy 197 near Brett Clodfelter way. The logging truck seen at left reportedly failed to stop and hit the OSP pickup at right, spinning it 180 degrees and sending two troopers to a trauma center in Portland.

By Tom Peterson / photos courtesy The Dalles Police Department

The Dalles, Ore., Feb. 16, 2026 — Two Oregon State Police troopers suffered serious injuries Monday morning when an unloaded log truck reportedly failed to stop at the top of the Interstate 84 Exit 87 off-ramp and struck their Fish and Wildlife pickup sending it into a spin, authorities said.

The impact that caved in the passenger side of the pickup, sent twisted and broken rubble skidding all over the overpass bridge, sending local police and emergency responders scrambling.

The crash occurred at about 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 197 and Bret Clodfelter Way near the OSP Office. The intersection is a critical junction connecting Interstate 84 traffic to The Dalles Bridge and Highway 197.

According to The Dalles Police Chief Tom Worthy, the log truck was exiting westbound Interstate 84 when it failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the northbound Oregon State Police pickup occupied by two troopers and their police dog, Scout.

The force of the collision was severe enough to spin the vehicles around.

“It whipped them (OSP pickup) around and then caught the other end of the second semi… it took a lot of force to turn it around,” Worthy said.

After striking the police vehicle, the log truck continued through the intersection and collided with a southbound commercial box trailer, Worthy said.

Looking south on the 197 overramp, the second semi and its box trailer that was hit by the log truck at right can be seen leaning on the concrete guard rail.

Both injured troopers, assigned to the Oregon State Police Bend Area Command, were transported to Portland-area trauma centers with significant injuries.

The severity of the crash required a large-scale response that stretched The Dalles Police Department’s staffing, Worthy said. Nearly all available officers were committed to securing the scene, managing traffic and assisting with the investigation, while additional personnel were called in on overtime to handle routine calls elsewhere in the city.

Lt. Jason Calloway of Oregon State Police said the crash was emotionally difficult for responding personnel but confirmed both troopers are recovering.

“They are stable and on the road to recovery, and that is good,” Calloway said. “It was a very intense scene and a lot of damage to vehicles.”

The troopers had been assisting with Fish and Wildlife enforcement related to the Columbia River sturgeon fishing opener, part of seasonal patrol efforts that require troopers to travel statewide.

Only 89 Fish and Wildlife troopers serve the entire state of Oregon, Worthy said, requiring specialized units to deploy where enforcement is needed.

Scout, the Fish and Wildlife police dog involved in the crash, was evaluated by a veterinarian and was not injured, authorities said.

The driver of the log truck was treated and released with non-serious injuries. The driver of the second commercial vehicle was not injured, police said.

The crash prompted closure of Highway 197 and Bret Clodfelter Way for most of the day Monday, as investigators examined the scene and cleared debris. Traffic was diverted through alternate routes including Hood River, Biggs Junction and Highway 30.

Because Oregon State Police personnel were involved in the crash, The Dalles Police Department is leading the investigation, with assistance from Oregon State Police collision reconstruction specialists and commercial vehicle inspectors.

Worthy said the investigation will include inspection of the involved vehicles and review of commercial driver logs and mechanical systems.

The crash carried a personal impact, Worthy said.

One of the injured troopers was someone Worthy had trained alongside as a cadet at Cove Palisades in the mid-1990s, when the two also lived together at the Culver fire hall. Worthy said he immediately recognized the trooper’s name when notified of the crash.

“He’s a good buddy — I know him well, and I know his family,” Worthy said. “I was shocked when I found out it was him.”

The crash remains under investigation.

“No citations — no enforcement taken at this time,” Worthy said. “It is ongoing, and anything during the investigation that warrants enforcement, we will take that if we need to.”

Multiple agencies responded to the crash, including Oregon State Police, The Dalles Police Department, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Transportation and Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue.

Anyone with information about the wreck is asked to contact The Dalles Police Department at 541-296-2613 and reference case number D26-0261.

Vehicle crashes are one of the most persistent dangers facing law enforcement officers, largely because of the sheer amount of time officers spend on the road. Motor vehicle incidents are the leading cause of on-duty death for law enforcement officers, according to federal safety research, according to the National Library of Medicine. Between 2019 and 2023, more than 230 officers nationwide died accidentally in the line of duty, with 57% killed in vehicle crashes and another 30% struck by vehicles, according to a story by the Associated Press. Officers routinely drive thousands of miles annually responding to calls, conducting patrols and assisting motorists, exposing them to constant traffic risk even outside of enforcement situations.