Bend man charged in head-on DUII serious-injury crash on Century Drive; OSP seeks witnesses
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man was charged with drunken and reckless driving and assault after a head-on crash on the Cascade Lakes Highway late Friday afternoon that seriously injured the other driver, Oregon State Police said Monday as they asked to hear from any witnesses to the collision.
OSP troopers and other emergency personnel responded around 4:45 p.m. to the two-vehicle crash on state Highway 372 (Century Drive) near milepost 7 southwest of Bend.
A preliminary investigation found that an eastbound Subaru Crosstrek SUV driven by a 23-year-old Bend man crossed the double-yellow line and collided head-on with a westbound Toyota pickup driven by a 27-year-old woman from Weaverville, California, troopers said.
The woman was taken to St. Charles Bend with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, OSP reported. The male driver also was taken to the hospital with injuries.
The SUV driver’s blood-alcohol level was found to be .14, well above Oregon’s .08 legal limit. He was cited in lieu of custody for DUII-alcohol, third-degree assault and reckless driving.
OSP noted the crash occurred within a mile of one that happened last August 10 in which a drunken driver OSP identified as Flynn Lovejoy, 19, of Bend, struck and killed cyclist Richard Wolf, 61, also of Bend.
Lovejoy was arrested on manslaughter, DUII and hit-and-run charges. He entered not guilty pleas last month to six charges, including first- and second-degree manslaughter. Lovejoy's 10-day trial is currently scheduled for December, court records show.
"OSP wants to remind everyone to not drive while impaired," the agency said in a news release. "There are many options available to get home safely, such as rideshares, public transportation or designated drivers."
Friday's crash remains under investigation. OSP said it is seeking to hear from anyone who might have witnessed the crash. They're urged to contact OSP at 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (*677), in reference to Case No. SP22-078481.
OSP was assisted at the crash scene by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Oregon Department of Transportation and Bend Fire & Rescue.
