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Tag: Oregon tunnel crash

  • Oregon Tunnel Crash Caused by Dumbass (says People)

    Some people just can’t hold their oxygen.

    19-year-old Daniel J. Calhon, of Snohomish, Washington, was either playing a little game, or who knows what. But the guy decided to hold his breath as he drove through a tunnel. Some people do this, it is true. Some have a superstition about being underground like that, and hold their breath until they clear the other side of the tunnel. No problem, usually. Some say that, if you can hold your breath all the way through a tunnel, and make a wish, your wish will come true.

    But Calhon ended up fainting from holding his breath, crossed the center line, smashed head-on into another vehicle, and ended up in a three-car crash. In a tunnel.

    The accident happened in the Highway 26 tunnel near the community of Manning, Oregon. The tunnel is less than 800 feet long and is a 55 mile per hour zone.

    Calhon was driving a 1990 Toyota Camry, and smashed into a Ford Explorer. Both vehicles bounced off the walls of the tunnel. Another pickup truck then hit Calhon’s Camry. He was carrying a passenger in his car, another 19-year-old. The Explorer he hit was occupied by Thomas and Candace Hatch, in their 60s. All four people were taken to the hospital.

    Fortunately, the two folks in the truck were not hurt. Calhon and his buddy had non-life-threatening injuries, as did the Hatch couple.

    According to investigators, Calhon told them he was holding his breath when he fainted. Investigators said that, if Calhon were traveling at the speed limit of 55 mph, it would have taken him about ten seconds to clear the tunnel.

    Image via YouTube

  • Oregon Tunnel Crash Caused By Teen’s Dumb Idea

    Here is a piece of advice for those of you who drive through tunnels or over bridges: Please, don’t hold your breath.

    It’s quite possible that you heard some piece of superstition that suggests you hold your breath in these situations. Perhaps you and a friend want to see who can hold their breath the longest as you travel through a tunnel. Whatever the motivation or the reason, know that it’s a bad idea.

    If you don’t believe me, take it from 19-year-old Daniel J. Calhon of Snohomish, Wa.

    Calhon told investigators on Sunday that he had fainted while trying to hold his breath as he drove through the Highway 26 tunnel located near Manning, Ore.

    He held it until he lost consciousness, which resulted in a loss of control of his 1990 Toyota Camry.

    The Camry drifted across the centerline and then crashed head-on into a Ford Explorer. Shortly afterwards, a pickup truck ran into the back of the Camry.

    Both Calhon and 19-year-old passenger Bradley Meyring of Edmonds, Wa. suffered minor injuries, but avoided any serious harm.

    67-year-old Thomas Hatch Jr and 61-year-old Candace Hatch were the driver and passenger in the Ford Explorer and they also suffered minor injuries. All four persons were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

    The two persons in the pickup were uninjured in the crash.


    Fortunately it was a situation where no serious harm came to all the persons involved.

    However, the cause of the multi-car crash is both bizarre and a prime example of the boneheaded nature of youth, where dumb ideas seem relatively harmless.

    State Police Lt. Gregg Hastings said in a statement that he isn’t sure of the exact reason why Calhon would have been holding his breath while driving under the bridge. The officer does suspect it could have been part of a game or a matter of superstition.

    As stated at the beginning of this article, either reason is a bad idea, especially when you are behind the wheel of a car. It’s best to save your pointless shenanigans for those instances where you’re not going to be a danger to yourself or others.

    Image via YouTube