Chiloquin man jailed in fatal DUII crash on Hwy. 97
A 22-year-old Chiloquin man faces manslaughter, DUII and other charges in a crash on Highway 97 in Klamath County on Friday evening that killed a 66-year-old Klamath Falls woman, Oregon State Police reported.
OSP troopers responded around 5:35 p.m. Friday to the reported crash near milepost 256, Lt. Mark Duncan said.
A preliminary investigation found that Austin Haynes of Chiloquin was driving a 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup heading south when he crossed into the oncoming lane and into the path of a 1996 Ford Aerosar van driven by Melquiadez Ibarra, 57, of Klamath Falls, Duncan said.
A right-front female passenger in the van, Terry Kirwan of Klamath Falls, died at the crash scene. Haynes was not hurt in the crash, while Ibarra was taken by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries, Duncan said.
The OSP lieutenant said in a news release that “Haynes displayed signs of impairment and performed voluntary standardized field sobriety tests.”
As a result, he was arrested and lodged in the Klamath County Jail on charges of manslaughter, reckless endangering, third-degree assault and DUII-alcohol, Duncan said.
Highway 97 ws closed and traffic diverted for more than five hours while troopers investigated the crash scene.
As the investigation continues, with Trooper Peter Anderson as lead investigator, OSP asked any witnesses to the crash who have not already been interviewed to contact OSP Southern Regional Dispatch at 541-883-5711.
