Sisters woman hurt, charged in DUII head-on crash
A Sisters woman faces drunk and reckless driving charges after a head-on crash early Sunday morning on Hwy. 20W in the east end of town that sent her to a Bend hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
Deputies were dispatched shortly before 5:30 a.m. to the reported two-car crash on Highway 20 at Buckaroo Trail, at the east end of Sisters, near the Sisters Athletic Club, said Lt. Chad Davis.
An investigation found that Katherine Duarte, 23, of Sisters, was driving her gold 2002 VW Jetta wagon heading west on the highway when she drove into the path of an oncoming red 2004 Ford F-350 pickup driven by Gary Henness, 57, of Gates, Davis said.
Gary Henness tried to avoid the collision, Davis said, but they collided head-on. Henness and passenger Ron Henness, 55, of Aumsville, were unhurt in the crash, he added.
Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District person responded and had to cut the roof off Duarte’s car to remove her. Davis said both airbags had deployed on her car.
Duarte was taken by ambulance to St. Charles-Bend for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, where she was treated and released. She was cited in lieu of custody for driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving.
The crash closed Highway 20 for about an hour until both cars could be towed from the scene, Davis said. the speed posted in the area is 35 mph, Davis said there were no indications speed played a factor in the crash.