Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:00 am
ALBANY - The father of a 2-year-old girl ejected during a rollover crash discovered Monday morning remained in serious condition Tuesday in the intensive care unit in an Albany hospital.
Jorge Villa-Rubio, 23, of Salem faces multiple charges, including driving under the influence and second-degree assault, recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving and driving while suspended.
His daughter, Esmaralda Villa-Ulloa, was taken by REACH air ambulance to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. She was reported in good condition Tuesday morning and was expected to be released from the hospital.
The single-car wreck was discovered about 6:40 a.m. Monday by an Oregon State Police officer working for the Gaming Enforcement Division in the Tribal Gaming Section.
Police believe the accident along Interstate 5 at the Highway 20 southbound offramp in Albany occurred late Sunday night or early Monday.
Officer Frank Hagen was taking the southbound offramp when he spotted the car, said Lt. Gregg Hastings, spokesman for the state police. The detective found the child about 40 feet from the wrecked car and the father still inside.
Hastings described what happened this way:
The preliminary investigation indicates that the 1996 Ford Contour was southbound on the freeway at a high speed when the driver tried to take the exit to Highway 20. Villa-Rubio failed to negotiate the sharp right turn, went off the road and rolled the vehicle.