Slippery conditions, smashed potatoes close I84 Saturday a.m.

Interstate 84 eastbound was closed much of Saturday morning.

Even as it reopened around noon, the Oregon Department of Transportation was urging drivers to use extra caution.

Drivers should turn off their cruise control and be prepared for black ice, the department said.

The interstate was closed eastbound seven miles east of Pendleton because of a crash and hazardous conditions. It also was closed four miles east of La Grande for similar reasons.

Near Baker City a potato truck crash littered the roadway with spuds.

Drivers were advised not to try to get around closed areas by using GPS navigation directions to unfamiliar roads that may not be passable because of snow.

One of the worst crashes Saturday was on Highway 20 west of Ontario. Two semi-trucks crashed and caught fire. The highway was expected to be closed all day Saturday for an investigation and to remove the trucks.

This story was originally published December 30, 2017 at 11:58 AM with the headline "Slippery conditions, smashed potatoes close I84 Saturday a.m.."