Albany resident Archell Banta loves animals and even volunteers at an animal rescue shelter, which makes her collision with a five-point elk near Harrisburg even more painful than the bumps and bruises she sustained the night of June 13.
Banta was out for a drive and was headed north on Highway 99 about 10:15 p.m. when suddenly, the elk — which may have weighed up to 700 pounds — appeared seemingly out of thin air.
“It was as though it was a toy and someone had set it in front of my car,” Banta said. “I’m a very cautious driver and try to be very aware of what’s around me at all times. But it was just there.”
Banta said she had enough time to try to swerve her 2002 Mazda Protégé toward the oncoming lane of traffic since there were no other vehicles.
“I veered toward its head because I didn’t want to strike its body,” Banta said. “I heard a loud noise and then my car’s transmission went into neutral. That’s all I remember.”
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The elk smashed the roof of Banta’s car and broke out the windshield. There was little damage to the car’s hood.
The elk was thrown across the highway and landed near a ditch of the southbound lane.
“There was glass everywhere,” Banta said. “I searched for my phone and found it behind the glove box. It wasn’t broken and I called a friend to come help me.”
Banta couldn’t open the driver’s side door and had to crawl into the back seat to get out of the vehicle.
“I was standing there covered in blood and several cars drove by and didn’t help me,” Banta said. “One car drove by and then came back and drove by me again. Finally a nice woman with seven kids in a van stopped and helped me.”
Banta said she was so confused she didn’t call 911.
Her friend arrived and advised Banta to contact the Oregon State Police because a new law in Oregon allows for the salvage of roadkill deer and elk. He also quartered the elk and prepared it for transport to the Pepper Tree Sausage House in Albany. Banta plans to use the meat.
State Police Trooper Arthur Buell assisted Banta and the next day, she went online and applied for the proper salvage permit, which is free.
“He was really great,” Banta said of Buell.
Although the Protégé was severely damaged — the roof had to be jacked up — it was driven to Banta’s home in Albany.
Banta said she has continued to have headaches and her bruises are healing, but she is saddened by the elk’s death.
“I so pray he didn’t suffer,” Banta said. “Hitting this elk breaks my heart, but I’m so grateful that there is the new law and that he didn’t go to waste and I’m also so grateful to be alive.”
Banta said the accident also leaves her without transportation since she only carried liability and medical insurance on her vehicle.
The salvage law has already proven itself popular, with more than 298 salvage permits issued as of June 1. The majority of the permits have been issued in rural areas, where wildlife is prevalent. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman said of those permits, 239 were for deer and 59 were for elk.
“Blacktailed deer account for half of all permits, which is because they are most prevalent in western Oregon, which is where the majority of the vehicles are located,” Baylor said. “About 56% of both elk and deer are females.”
Baylor said vehicles involved in the accidents are not only from Oregon, but also from Washington, Idaho, Texas and Michigan.