Redmond paraglider injured in crash on Juniper Butte, flown by Life Flight to Bend hospital

(Update: Paraglider lost consciousness during flight)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 52-year-old Redmond man was injured in the crash of his paraglider Wednesday afternoon on the south side of Juniper Butte, south of Madras, and was flown by Life Flight helicopter to St. Charles Bend with serious but not life-threatening injuries, Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock said.

Officials received the report of the crash around 12:30 p.m. from another paraglider who was with him and helped guide first responders to the location, Pollock said. Several sheriff’s deputies and nine Jefferson County Fire & EMS medical personnel responded to the scene, about two-thirds of the way up the butte, he said.

Pollock said it was learned the paraglider lost consciousness while on the flight, which led to the crash, and so he could not tell authorities what happened, Pollock said.

He suffered injuries to his left elbow, lower back and the back of his head, but was conscious and breathing when first responders arrived at his location, about a half-hour after the call.

The sheriff said it was determined the best place for the patient's extraction was the top of the butte, so the air ambulance landed there to pick him up and fly him to the Bend hospital.

The man was wearing a helmet, which was cracked by the impact of the crash, Pollock said, adding that the man was in stable condition when he left on the flight to Bend.