Pickup crash seriously injures 2 Prineville residents

Two Prineville residents were seriously injured early Monday when their pickup truck left a road north of Prineville and struck a juniper tree, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies and Crook County Fire & Rescue medics were dispatched shortly before 4 a.m. to the reported crash on Northeast McKay Creek Road near milepost 9 and Allen Road, sheriff’s Sgt. Mitch Madden said.

Initial reports indicated a Ford F-350 had gone down a 10-foot embankment and struck a juniper tree. One of the two people in the truck was still trapped inside but the other was out before deputies arrived, Madden said.

An investigation determined the southbound pickup was being driven by Amee Neathery , 22, accompanied by passenger Austin Lee, 20, who was asleep in the back seat and not wearing a seat belt, the sergeant said.

Neathery was flown by Life Flight helicopter to St. Charles Bend and Lee was taken by ambulance to St. Charles Prineville. Both were listed in serious condition Monday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

It’s not known why the truck left the road, Madden said, as the crash remains under investigation. While speed does not appear to be a factor in the crash, he said it’s unknown if there were other contributing factors.

The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Crook County Fire & Rescue and Active Towing.