Oklahoma man arrested after 100 mph, weaving on I-84 near Baker City

An Oklahoma man was arrested on Interstate 84 near Baker City after Oregon State Police said he drove more than 100 mph, weaved in and out of traffic and later registered a blood alcohol level of 0.17 percent. The stop, made near milepost 315 southeast of Baker City by Pleasant Valley, put a fast-moving impaired driver on one of Baker County’s busiest travel corridors and raised the stakes for everyone sharing the freeway.

Troopers responded just before 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, after a driving complaint about a white SUV reported to be moving erratically at high speed. When an officer stopped the vehicle, the driver showed signs of impairment, and investigators said he failed sobriety testing before providing the breath sample that measured 0.17 percent blood alcohol content. That level was more than double Oregon’s 0.08 percent DUII limit.

The driver was identified as 41-year-old Geroge Andrew Cantrell of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He was charged with DUII and cited for numerous traffic violations, according to the report. Under Oregon law, a standard DUII offense is generally a Class A misdemeanor, reflecting how seriously the state treats impaired driving even when no crash occurs.

The case fits a broader pattern of highway safety concerns in Baker County, where Interstate 84 carries local traffic, freight and long-distance travelers through a stretch of road that can turn unforgiving quickly when speeds climb. Oregon Department of Transportation says safety corridors are stretches of state highways where fatal and serious injury crash rates are higher than the statewide average for similar roadways, and signed corridors can bring heightened enforcement and double fines for traffic infractions.

ODOT’s 2024 county crash summary lists Baker County with 278 total crashes, including 6 fatal crashes and 6 people killed. Against that backdrop, a driver moving at more than 100 mph while allegedly impaired created a clear hazard not just for himself, but for every other motorist on I-84 near Baker City.

Oregon State Police also maintain monthly patrol activity information, a reminder that enforcement on the interstate is ongoing. In this case, a complaint, a trooper response and an arrest all unfolded in a single afternoon, before the dangerous driving led to a collision.