Crook County fatality identified as NE Oregon man

Two people riding in the bed of a pickup were thrown and one, a northeast Oregon man, died when the truck carrying four people left a road and overturned late Saturday night in southern Crook County. Sheriff’s deputies said alcohol and speed appeared to be contributing factors.

Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 11:45 p.m. to the area of McCormack Ranch near milepost 13 on Southeast Bear Creek Fife Road, about 30 miles east of Bend and about 50 miles south of Prineville, said Deputy Mitch Madden.

A Life Flight helicopter was dispatched from Redmond and already on scene when deputies arrived, Madden said. Oregon State Police and paramedics from Crook County and Bend Fire & Rescue agencies assisted at the scene.

Two of the three passengers in the 2004 Ford F-350 extended-cab pickup were riding in the bed of the truck, whose driver was heading south on Bear Creek Road and lost control, causing the pickup to overturn.

One passenger was dead when medics arrived and the others involved had non-life-threatening injuries, deputies said.

Sgt. Bill Elliott on Monday identified the man who was killed as Cayle Krebs, 30, of the Morrow County town of Ione.

Elliott said no charges had been filed in the case, as the investigation was still underway. No other information was released.