Madras Woman Critically Injured In Head-On Crash
A Madras woman was critically injured Wednesday when her car was rear-ended by a pickup as she waited to turn left off Highway 97 north of Madras, sending it into the path of an oncoming semi truck, Oregon State Police reported.
The 2007 Honda Civic driven by Cathryn Downing, 61, of Madras was northbound and waiting to turn left onto Cherry Lane around noon when it was struck from behind by a 2000 Dodge 3500 pickup driven by Katherine White, 81, of Madras, said OSP Sr. Trooper Jed Rzegocki.
That impact pushed the Honda into the oncoming lanes, where it collided head-on with a southbound 2008 Kenworth commercial truck, driven by Gurwinder Gill, 34, of Citrus Heights, Calif., and pulling a trailer loaded with grocery items, Rzegocki said.
Downing had to be extricated by fire personnel, who cut the roof off the car, then taken by ambulance to Mountain View Hospital in Madras. She then was flown by Air Link helicopter to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, where she remained in critical condition Thursday afternoon.
Gill and White were unhurt, the trooper said. All three drivers were wearing seat belts, and the Honda’s air bag deployed.
OSP troopers from Madras, Prineville and Bend offices were involved in the investigation, Rzegocki said, adding that no citations have been issued.
Highway 97 was closed at the crash scene, about two miles north of Madras,for about two hours in both directions. After that,one lane was open and traffic flagged through the scene for another 90 minutes, troopers said. The highway fully reopened around 3:45 p.m.
Other assistance at the scene came from ODOT, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies, fire medics, and Jefferson County EMS.
