Two hurt, driver cited in Paulina Lake Rd. crash

A San Francisco couple was taken to a Bend hospital after a crash on Paulina Lake Road northeast of La Pine Saturday afternoon, and the husband was cited on a charge he made an illegal U-turn that caused the collision with a pickup truck, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies were dispatched at 2:48 p.m. to the two-vehicle crash on Paulina Lake Road near Newberry Road, said Lt. Chad Davis. La Pine Fire District medics and an air ambulance from Life Flight also responded to the scene, he said.

An investigation found the two vehicles were heading east on Paulina Lake Road, with Kevin Wong, 63, of San Francisco, driving a white 2013 Toyota Prius, accompanied by his wife Theda Wong, 61, Davis said. Behind them was a white 1999 Ford F-250 pickup driven by Melinda Kriner, 34 of Vancouver, Wash; her passenger was identified as Jason Kriner, 36, also of Vancouver.

Davis said Wong made an illegal U-turn directly in the path of Kriner’s pickup, which hit the Prius on the driver’s side door in T-bone fashion.

Kevin Wong was flown to St. Charles-Bend, where he was listed in fair condition Saturday night, according to a nursing supervisor. Theda Wong was taken by La Pine ambulance to the Bend hospital, where she was treated and released. Neither of the pickup’s occupants were injured, Davis said.

Highway 97 was shut down for about 20 minutes while the Life Flight helicopter landed on the highway to take Kevin Wong to the hospital.