Motorcyclist seriously hurt in Hwy. 97 dump truck crash

A motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries Monday morning when he collided with a dump truck and was run over by its trailer on Highway 97 north of Madras, Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins said.

Deputies were dispatched shortly after 8 a.m. to the crash at Highway 97 and Quaale Road, near milepost 81 about 11 miles north of Madras, Adkins said.

They arrived to find the highway open and the dump truck pulling a trailer on Quaale Road, with the rider pinned beneath the rear trailer’s tires, Adkins said.

Fire and ambulance crews were able to care for the driver of the motorcycle while other Jefferson County fire personnel used a jack to raise the trailer enough to remove the driver.

Ambulance medics cared for the driver until a Life Flight helicopter arrived on the scene a short time later and flew the motorcyclist to St. Charles Bend.

Adkins said in a Facebook post, “It appears both vehicles were traveling northbound on Highway 97, the truck was making a left turn onto Quaale Road and the motorcycle, which was rapidly overtaking the truck, ran into the left side of the trailer, with the bike going under the trailer.”

Oregon State Police also arrived on the scene to investigate the crash. The sheriff said he had no update on the driver’s condition and that further information would come from OSP. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for more information.