Redmond man cited after Crook County crash

A 27-year-old Redmond man crashed his pickup truck along North McKay Creek Road north of Prineville Saturday evening and was taken to the hospital, where he was cited on DUII and reckless driving charges, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies and Crook County Fire and Rescue paramedics were dispatched around 6:45 p.m. to the reported single-vehicle crash on North McKay Creek Road near milepost 11.5, said sheriff’s Sgt. Travis Jurgens.

Deputies arrived to find a white 1978 Chevy pickup just off the south side of the road, facing north, and the driver, Tristan Charge, lying on the ground beside it, Jurgens said.

An investigation found that Charge had left a campsite in the McKay Creek area and was heading south toward Prineville when he failed to negotiate a corner, the sergeant said.

Charge lost control of the pickup, which crossed over the oncoming lane and left the south side of the road, where it struck two Ponderosa pine trees, damaged a fence and came to rest just off the road.

The driver was able to get out of the pickup on his own, and witnesses had him lay down for his own safety, Jurgens said, adding that it’s not known if he was wearing his seat belt.

Charge was taken by ambulance to Pioneer Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the officer.