A truck driver responsible for a tragic collision that resulted in the deaths of seven farmworkers on Interstate 5 in Oregon has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of nearly 50 years. The sentencing, handed down by Marion County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Wren, came after Lincoln Smith was found guilty of multiple charges, including seven counts of second-degree manslaughter, three counts of assault, and reckless driving.
Although Smith, a 54-year-old from California, was cleared of driving under the influence of intoxicants, evidence presented during the trial revealed he had nodded off at the wheel, attributing this to the effects of drugs taken the previous night. Post-crash tests detected the presence of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and morphine in his system.
The devastating crash occurred in May 2023 when Smith’s semitruck collided with a parked van on the side of I-5 near Albany, an area known for its agricultural activities in the Willamette Valley. The van was carrying 11 farmworkers at the time. Tragically, seven of them lost their lives. The deceased were identified as Juan Carlos Leyva-Carrillo, 37; Gabriel Juarez-Tovilla, 58; Alejandra Espinoza-Carpio, 39; Eduardo Lopez-Lopez, 31; Luis Enrique Gomez-Reyes, 30; Alejandro Jimenez-Hernandez, 36; and Josue Garcia-Garcia, 30.
In court, Smith expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he would willingly exchange his life for any of the lives lost, as reported. The collision is noted as one of the most catastrophic in the state’s history. Albany, the site of the crash, is located approximately 70 miles south of Portland on the major north-south I-5 interstate that spans the West Coast.
