JOYCE — A portion of the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 101 west of Port Angeles was closed for 4½ hours Thursday morning, logs strewn near Granny’s Cafe, after a semi log truck spilled its load while avoiding a more serious mishap involving a Jeep.
Jeep driver Tina S. Feuerstein, 30, was cited for improper lane usage, according to a State Patrol press release that did not include Feuerstein’s city of residence.
There were no injuries.
Log truck driver Tina N. Coe, 31, of Port Angeles was eastbound at Milepost 236 near Granny’s Cafe at about 6:50 a.m. when the Jeep driver in front of the truck suddenly made a left-hand turn in front of the larger vehicle, Clallam County Fire District 2 Chief Jake Patterson said.
He said the vehicles were traveling about 40 mph.
“The car was slowing like it was pulling over to the side,” Patterson said.
“The log truck went to go around them and it turned directly in front of the logging truck.”
The State Patrol said Feuerstein slowed down and pulled to the right shoulder without using a turn signal and then attempted to make a U-turn — without using a turn signal.
The log truck driver tried to slow down and go around Feuerstein on the left. Its right front struck the left side and left front of the Jeep, according to the press release.
The Jeep spun clockwise before it came to rest facing westbound in the eastbound lane.
The log truck crossed the westbound lane through a ditch and stopped on an embankment before it rolled onto its passenger side. Its logs spilled onto the road shoulder and into the ditch.
“If there would have been another vehicle westbound, it would have hit it head-on,” Patterson said.
Both drivers were wearing seat belts, according to the State Patrol. Neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the crash.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
