Read Under Suspicion - The Legend of D.B. Cooper Page 74

Wayne Ellis was a fifteen-year veteran on the big rigs. He’d driven his eighteen-wheeler in every situation and weather condition imaginable. Time on the road had taught him to prepare for the unexpected, for it was the unexpected that was dangerous. Ellis was not expecting what would happen next.

  He had just driven all night to bring a load of produce up from California for the local stores and was way behind schedule. The traffic he ran into once he crossed the Lewis County line reminded him of LA—only on a one-lane road. When possible, he’d put the pedal down to make up time. This was one of those times.

  For now, the road ahead was open and down the way, a green light. He pushed the pedal down further, increasing speed. He wanted to make that light. Just one more stop then he could head home to his wife and a warm bed, he thought as he yawned and rubbed his tired eyes. He didn’t see the fifth wheel truck and trailer drive into the intersection until it was too late.

  Scott Mathews, an insurance salesman from Portland, had just pulled out of the gas station. As he approached the intersection, his mind was on the steak and eggs breakfast he was going to order at the diner down the street. His two boys were arguing in the back seat of his one-ton king cab. Mathews adjusted his rear view mirror to see them more clearly. They were fighting over which D.B. Cooper T-shirt each was going to wear, and he wished he’d gotten them the same one. With his trailer, he was going to have to swing wide to make the turn, he thought as he looked back to his boys to tell them to stop fighting. He didn’t see the red light.