Snowmobiler injured in crash west of Bend

A southwest Washington woman was injured in a crash of her rental snowmobile west of Bend Saturday afternoon and flown to a Bend hospital, Deschutes County authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched about 1:20 p.m. to a reported injury crash on Snowmobile Trail 45 about 300 yards south of where Trail 4 crosses beneath River Summit Drive near Forest Road 45, south of Vista Butte Sno-Park, said Deputy Jim Whitcomb, assistant search and rescue coordinator.

Those responding by snowmobile to the scene included three Forest Service law enforcement officers, two wilderness rangers and a sheriff’s reserve deputy, Whitcomb said. Two Sheriff’s Search and Rescue members responded a short time later by snowmobile to assist, he added.

An investigation determined that a rental snowmobile being operated by Razlynn Cavazos, 28, of Camas, Wash., was part of a larger group when she went off the side of the trail and struck a tree, Whitcomb said, adding that she was wearing a helmet at the time.

Law enforcement personnel arrived about a half-hour after the initial report, stabilized Cavazos and took her by snowmobile “ambu-sled” to a landing zone, Whitcomb said.

Cavazos was flown by AirLink helicopter to St Charles-Bend with what Whitcomb said were possibly serious injuries. However, a nursing supervisor said early Saturday evening that the woman had been treated and released from the hospital.

Whitcomb said inexperience on Cavazos’ part appeared to be the cause of the accident.