Police: One dead after 9-vehicle crash on I-84, incident still under investigation

UPDATE (5/17): Idaho State Police says the woman severely injured in the nine-vehicle crash last week has died.

The Ada County Coroner identified the victim as 27-year-old Julia M. Goodwin from Boise. She died due to injuries sustained in the crash on May 15. The cause and manner of death is still pending on the autopsy, according to the coroner.

The incident is still under investigation by ISP.

UPDATE (5:30 p.m.): Idaho State Police (ISP) Troopers are investigating a crash that involved nine vehicles and blocked or delayed traffic for most of Tuesday.

ISP says one Boise woman remains in the hospital with what are reported to be life-threatening injuries. Three others were taken to nearby hospitals with reportedly minor injuries. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

All lanes of I-84 eastbound and westbound are now fully reopened, according to ISP.

Troopers say they were called to a report of a multi-vehicle crash including a semi on fire at 7:34 a.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they found a semi hauling 65,000 pounds of lumber on fire in the median, with debris and wreckage from the crash blocking nearly all eight lanes of the interstate.

At this time, police say it appears the incident began in the eastbound lanes when the driver of a red Toyota Tacoma, a 28-year-old man from Parma, made a quick lane change and hit the semi loaded with lumber. That semi sideswiped an eastbound passenger vehicle before crashing through the concrete median, catching fire and hitting a westbound semi that jack-knifed.

Investigators believe flying debris from one of the semi-trucks hit the roof of a westbound Toyota Camry. The impact appears to have knocked the driver unconscious, but the vehicle continued driving forward and was found almost half a mile past the initial crash scene. The driver, a 27-year old woman from Boise, was taken to the hospital with reportedly life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the red Tacoma, a 28-year-old man from Boise who was driving the semi-truck hauling lumber, and a 40-year-old man from Nampa who was driving east in a white Tacoma, were all taken to nearby hospitals with reportedly minor injuries. ISP did not have an update on their conditions as of Tuesday evening.

The chain reaction from the initial impact involved six eastbound vehicles and three westbound vehicles. Clearing vehicles from the scene remains ongoing and two lanes of travel are open in each direction.

ISP says all but one lane of travel in each direction was blocked for most of the morning and all eastbound lanes were blocked for more than an hour before crews were able to open two lanes in each direction just before noon. The blockage caused traffic back-ups for miles in both directions and delays continue while crews work to clear and repair the road.

UPDATE (3:52 p.m.): Multiple lanes are still closed in each direction on I-84, according to ACHD. The westbound lanes are backed up from just beyond the Orchard interchange through the crash scene. Eastbound I-84 backups start around the Meridian Road interchange.

Other east and westbound roadways are experiencing heavy traffic volumes and congestion. ACHD asks people to exercise caution and patience on the drive home this afternoon.

UPDATE (12:12 p.m.): Idaho State Police says two lanes of eastbound I-84 are now back open. The agency thanks Boise Police for escorting the first eastbound drivers at slower speeds through the clean-up zone.

Two lanes of the westbound I-84 are also back open. The Idaho Transportation Department is helping in direction and slowing traffic.

UPDATE (11:35 a.m.): Eastbound lanes are still closed on I-84 through west Boise and westbound travel is restricted to one lane. ISP says crews are still working to clear wreckage from the crash scene.

Police say one semi-truck hauling lumber caught on fire. There is still no estimated time for re-opening right now.

UPDATE (10:32 a.m.): Eastbound traffic is now completely closed through west Boise so responders can clear the wreckage, according to police. The median was also damaged during the crash and needs to be repaired.

UPDATE (10:21 a.m.): ISP reminds people that Idaho law prohibits using a mobile device to take pictures or video while driving. As troopers, firefighters, tow operators and others are working to keep traffic flowing while investigating, they are seeing drivers slowing traffic and possibly endangering others by taking pictures or video.

ORIGINAL STORY: A multi-vehicle crash closed both east and westbound I-84 Tuesday morning. ISP says the crash was reported at 7:35 a.m. and appears to involve vehicles that were traveling in both directions. At least one vehicle, a semi-truck, caught on fire during the crash.

According to a tweet from ISP, troopers reported what appears on the scene to be potentially life-threatening injuries.

One westbound lane of the interstate near Five Mile Road has reopened and eastbound traffic is clearing, but lanes will stay closed, according to Idaho State Police. Troopers appreciate the patience of drivers as they investigate what caused the crash, clear and reopen the area.

Drivers should try and avoid the interstate if possible and expect traffic delays. The crash is still under investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available.