La Pine woman arrested in serious-injury DUII crash
A 22-year-old La Pine woman was arrested on DUII, assault and other charges Wednesday night after her pickup truck crashed and rolled, seriously injuring one of two passengers, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
Deschutes County 911 dispatchers got a report around 8:40 p.m. of the injury single-vehicle crash at the southern intersection of Huntington Road and Riverview Drive, just north of La Pine, said Lt. Chad Davis.
The driver, Jessica Cathey, and middle passenger Jason Gomez, 25, of La Pine, were able to climb out of the pickup after the crash, but right-front passenger Jessica Lee, 21, also of La Pine, was removed from the wreckage by friends who arrived on the scene, Davis said.
Cathey and Lee were taken to St. Charles Bend by La Pine Fire Department medics. Lee remained in serious condition Thursday night at the Bend hospital, a spokeswoman said. Cathey was treated and released shortly after her arrival, was Gomez was unhurt in the crash.
An investigation determined Cathey was driving her 1992 Ford Ranger north on Huntington Road when she drove off the southbound shoulder. After going about 200 feet on the gravel shoulder, she returned to the paved road, overcorrected and left the road again, rolling into a ditch on the west side of Huntington Road.
None of the occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, Davis said.
Cathey later was arrested and booked into the Deschutes County Jail on charges of DUII, second-degree assault, reckless driving and two counts of recklessly endangering, Davis said. Her bail was set at $70,000.
Cathey’s blood alcohol content was determined to be .18, the sergeant said, more than twice the legal limit of .08. Speed and alcohol were contributing factors to the crash, which remains under investigation, Davis said.
