December 21, 2022 3:40 a.m.

Covering coastal Douglas County:

A log truck driver was taken to the hospital after his rig flipped on Monday morning.

A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report said just before 9:00 a.m. a deputy responded to an injury crash near milepost 27 on Lower Smith River Road east of Reedsport.

The deputy observed that the truck was flipped three-fourths of the way over and the logs were laying alongside the rig. The driver, a 52-year old man, was wedged inside. Gardiner Rural Fire Protection District crews used extraction tools and were able to free the driver.

Witnesses said the driver was operating the vehicle at a reasonable speed and a loud “pop” was heard when it came into the corner. It was determined that a bunk pin broke, causing the load of logs to come loose, which resulted in the crash.

The driver was transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport with the complaint of head and leg pain.

The log truck was towed away and the logging company arranged to pick up the logs.