Oregon man dies in I-12 crash Thursday

ROBERT — A driver died Thursday morning on Interstate 12 in a wreck involving two 18-wheelers, State Police reported.

The wreck occurred about 2:30 a.m. when the driver of a 2006 Freightliner was accelerating slowly in the eastbound lane of I-12 after merging into traffic from the right shoulder.

A 2003 Volvo 18-wheeler attempting to pass struck the rear of the Freightliner, according to a State Police news release.

The Volvo 18-wheeler ran off the road, hit a large tree and became engulfed in flames, State Police reported.

State Police identified the Volvo driver, who died in the crash, as Aleksander Nyamtsu, 29, of Gresham, Ore.