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Lincoln Smith was convicted of seven counts of second-degree
manslaughter as well as reckless driving, The Oregonian/OregonLive
reported.
But the Marion County jurors acquitted the 54-year-old
Californian of driving under the influence of intoxicants. Smith
testified that the effects of drugs taken the night before the
crash had worn off, and that he had nodded off at the wheel, the
news outlet reported.
Traces of methamphetamine, fentanyl and morphine were found in
Smith's blood later at a hospital, and state troopers found a
“bullet of speed” in the pocket of his pants, The Oregonian/OregonLive
reported.
The defense attorney listed for Smith in court records did not
immediately return a text message and voicemail seeking comment
on behalf of her client.
The victims 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.
The crash occurred in May 2023, when Smith’s semitruck ran into
a van carrying farmworkers that was parked on the side of
Interstate 5 near Albany, an agricultural area of the Willamette
Valley.
Albany lies between the state capital Salem and Eugene, and is
about 70 miles (113 kilometers) south of Portland. I-5 is the
main north-south interstate highway on the West Coast.
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