A Tractor-Trailer Turned Sideways Before Sunrise
We got the call at 3:22 AM. It was the kind of wake-up that jolts your focus into gear fast. The Oregon State Police were on scene near Aurora, Oregon, and they needed immediate help. A loaded semi-truck had lost control and crossed the jersey barrier. It was now lying on its side across the off-ramp at Exit 278. Ehlen Road NE, blocking one lane with 40,000 pounds of onions inside. When our towing team heard “Aurora semi-truck accident recovery” at that hour, we knew we’d be out there a while. What we didn’t know yet was how tricky this one would get.


Rolled Over and Packed Tight
This Aurora semi-truck accident recovery scene was a real mess: a tractor-trailer had tipped over during a turn and rolled completely, coming to rest against the barrier. The onions inside—mostly 50 lb bags with a few boxes—had been tossed like groceries in a crash. ODOT wouldn’t let us shut down the off-ramp entirely, so we worked in a single lane.
For a job like this, we had to roll deep. We sent out:
- Truck 220
- Truck 204
- Truck 213
- Truck 215
- Our 53-foot semi trailer
- A dump trailer
- Our incident response truck
- And a full work crew for offloading
That single-lane limitation changed everything.
Offload First, Then Upright the Rig
Normally, we’d approach a rollover from the higher side, giving us better leverage and a safer rigging angle. But this time, because of how the truck landed, we had to work from the downhill side. That meant the heaviest parts of the vehicle, the ones closest to us, were at a lower elevation.
We couldn’t start recovery until we got most of the load out. So, we began transloading the cargo. Bags of onions were carried from the damaged trailer to our own 53-foot trailer. Any torn or crushed product went into the dump trailer. That step alone took hours, but it was the only way to make the rig safe to lift.
Working With Gravity Against Us
Rigging from the downhill side is always tough. The angles are awkward, and getting good tension on the straps without pulling unevenly takes time and careful adjustment. We used two of our trucks for the upright lift, slowly bringing the trailer back to vertical.
We had to reposition our trucks multiple times. Every time we moved, we had to make sure traffic could still flow through the single lane. That dance: move, lift, stop, reposition, added hours. But we never compromise lane access or rigging safety. This semi-truck I-5 Oregon response was a real lesson in adapting under pressure.
Recovery by the Hour
By the time we got the truck upright, the sun was overhead. By the time we hauled it off, the sun was going down. The recovery wrapped up at 4:40 PM. More than 12 hours later, the road was finally clear.
There was extensive damage to the tractor and trailer, no question about that. The vehicle wasn’t drivable, so we towed it to our yard for holding and inspection. Luckily, there were no injuries. Just a totaled vehicle, a lost load, and a long day’s work.
Beyond the Crash: What Made This One Stand Out
This wasn’t our first I-5 tractor-trailer crash recovery, and it won’t be our last. But it reminded us why we bring more than just heavy equipment to these jobs: we bring patience, coordination, and experience. Working under restricted space, dealing with load transload, and rigging from a disadvantage all made this one stick with us.
The I-5 heavy wrecker service was put to the test, and our team met it head-on. From managing the scene with OSP and ODOT to keeping one lane open all day, this was more than just another heavy-duty towing Aurora Oregon operation. It was also a full-scale commercial truck rollover recovery and tractor trailer crash cleanup Aurora OR in one.


Aurora Semi-Truck Accident Recovery: Baker & Baker Does Big Rig Accidents Right
When the job calls for big rig accident response, we’re sending out a full team with a plan. Our work during this Aurora semi-truck accident recovery proves it.
We tackle each Aurora semi-truck accident recovery job with the same focus, no matter the hour or the challenge. We bring the Aurora semi-truck accident recovery know-how to get it done right, from first call to final tow.
Need a crew that knows what it takes to handle a full-scale Aurora semi-truck accident recovery? Call us, we’re ready.