In Salem, Oregon, a jury has convicted a semitruck driver of manslaughter in a devastating collision on Interstate 5 back in 2023 that resulted in the deaths of seven farmworkers and injuries to numerous others, marking one of the deadliest accidents on the state’s highways. The driver, Lincoln Smith, 54, from California, was found guilty on Wednesday of seven counts of second-degree manslaughter, three counts of third-degree assault, and reckless driving. However, the jury cleared Smith of driving under the influence after his defense team argued that he was not driving recklessly and was trying to find a parking spot when fatigue set in.
The tragic incident took place on May 18, 2023, when Smith’s semitruck deviated from the highway near Albany, Oregon, an agricultural region around 25 miles south of Salem. The 55,000-pound semitruck collided with a passenger van, propelling it into another parked semitruck, as described by prosecutors and Smith’s lawyers. The van was flung 218 feet from the impact site, resulting in six fatalities at the scene and a seventh en route to the hospital in a helicopter. Three other individuals sustained severe injuries and testified in court about their ongoing pain.
Subsequent lab tests uncovered the presence of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl in Smith’s system at the time of the crash, according to prosecutors. The trial has been emotionally charged, with family members, jurors, witnesses, and even Smith shedding tears. Smith’s legal team characterized the crash as “grisly.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation has labeled this incident as one of the deadliest in the state’s history.
Defense attorneys argue that the truck driver was no longer under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. Smith’s legal team contends that although Smith engaged in social activities with hitchhikers and consumed drugs the night before the incident, he was sober during the crash. They assert that Smith had simply fallen asleep at the wheel while attempting to take an exit to a rest stop. The defense maintains that the symptoms noted by Trooper Walker, such as confusion and dizziness, were actually manifestations of shock resulting from the collision.
Attorney Tiffany Humphrey emphasized that Smith was confronted with a traumatic situation, being at the center of a harrowing accident. The defense highlighted Walker’s training on drug evaluation, specifically noting that the effects of methamphetamine, a stimulant, typically dissipate within 12 hours. Therefore, any methamphetamine Smith may have ingested the previous day would have worn off by the time of the crash.
While stimulants usually heighten alertness, Walker mentioned the unpredictable outcomes when stimulants are combined with substances like fentanyl that have opposing effects. The defense argued that the aftermath of methamphetamine usage could lead to lethargy and drowsiness, as opposed to impairment caused by drugs.
Several defense witnesses, including the paramedic who assessed Smith on-site, testified that Smith’s vital signs, pupils, and behavior did not indicate drug intoxication. Kenn Meneely, a former state police officer involved in drug recognition training, criticized Walker’s evaluation methods concerning Smith’s pupils. Meneely’s assessment, based on various sources, indicated that Smith was not under the influence during the crash.
The defense team adamantly maintained that Lincoln Smith was not culpable or impaired, and that the indicators observed did not align with impairment. Attorney Humphrey underscored the lack of concrete evidence supporting the claim of impairment, asserting that Trooper Walker was the sole individual suggesting Smith’s intoxication.
(Source: Salem Statesman Journal; USA TODAY)
