Injured horse rider improving at Bend hospital
A Eugene woman improved to fair condition at a Bend hospital Saturday, one day after she was seriously injured when her horse kicked a hornet’s nest and threw her into a tree on on a trail near Horse Lake, authorities said.
An Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter flew Rhonda Glasser, 55, from the trail in the high Cascades to St. Charles-Bend after Friday’s accident, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
Deschutes County 911 dispatchers got the call around 12:40 p.m. Friday. They learned Glasser had been riding on a trail between Horse Lake and Mirror Lake with her husband and friends when the incident occurred, said Deputy Liam Klatt, assistant search and rescue coordinator.
The incident happened a few miles into Lane County, Klatt said, but Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was asked to help due to quicker access to the patient.
Thirteen Deschutes County SAR volunteers responded to the page for help. They were assisted by AirLink, whose helicopter shuttled four team members to Horse Lake. They then hiked 2-3 miles to the accident scene, Klatt said.
Due to the rugged terrain and thick trees, AirLink was unable to reach the patient directly, So SAR personnel requested Army National Guard assistance.
Members of “C” Company, 7158 th Aviation responded in a Blackhawk helicopter, and its crew was able to lower a medic and litter to the Deschutes County SAR units on the ground, Klatt said.
Glasser was flown to St. Charles-Bend, where a nursing supervisor said she had improved from serious to fair condition Saturday afternoon.
