Two Drivers Hurt in Head-on Crash Out of Hospital

Two drivers were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries after a Madras man?s car crossed into oncoming traffic on Highway 97 north of Redmond Tuesday afternoon, nearly striking a Deschutes County sheriff?s deputy?s patrol car before hitting two others in what became a four-car crash, deputies said.

Shortly after 4 p.m., the deputy told 911 dispatchers he?d witnessed a head-on crash on Highway 97 just north of the O?Neil Highway Junction, said Sgt. Troy Gotchy. The deputy advised of two patients with head injuries, one of them trapped in his car.

Robert Lorenzen, 22, of Madras, had to be cut from his 1997 Pontiac Grand Am and was flown by Life Flight helicopter to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend with what Gotchy said were non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of a 1989 Jeep Wagoneer, Clyde De Moisy, 57, of Bend, was taken by Redmond Fire ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center-Redmond, also with non-life-threatening injuries, Gotchy said.

The drivers of two other vehicles involved in the crash were checked at the scene and released, the sergeant said.

On Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said both Lorenzen and De Moisy had been treated and released.

An initial investigation found that Lorenzen was headed north when, for unknown reasons, his car crossed the center line, nearly striking the deputy, then hit two southbound vehicles, a 2002 Honda Accord driven by Joseph Swanson, 30, of Redmond, and a 1989 Toyota pickup truck driven by Cory Waters of Bend, Gotchy said. The force of the collision tore off the pickup?s rear axle.

Lorenzen?s car then turned sideways and was struck on the passenger side by De Moisy?s Wagoneer, Gotchy said.

ODOT assisted with traffic control, as the southbound lanes of Highway 97 were shut for almost three hours during the investigation Gotchy said. Southbound traffic was moved to one of the two northbound lanes, he said.

Gotchy said it?s not known at this time if alcohol was involved in the crash.

The investigation is continuing, and Gotchy said anyone who may have witnessed the crash was asked to contact the sheriff?s office through non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911.