High-speed police chase ends in crash that kills Culver man

A Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy tried to pull over a car in Culver Friday night, but the driver instead led deputies on a six-mile, 10-minute chase at speeds to over 100 mph. It ended in a crash that killed the driver, a Culver man wanted on several felony charges, and seriously injured his passenger, authorities said.

Around 9:20 p.m., the deputy attempted to stop the driver of a 1992 Honda Accord for driving erratically and without headlights, said Sheriff Jim Adkins. The driver, later identified as Derek Kyle Mach, 33, of Culver, failed to yield and tried to elude the pursuing deputy, driving erratically and at high speeds, he said.

The chase proceeded out of Culver to Southwest Feather Drive and south toward Juniper Butte, Adkins said.

Near Imo Lane, the driver lost control of his car at high speed, sliding off the road and into a juniper tree on the driver’s and front-left side.

Adkins said Mach was not wearing his seat belt and was thrown from the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

His passenger, Emilio Jesse Lucero, 20, of Bend, was wearing his seat belt and survived. He was removed from the car by Jefferson County Fire and Jefferson County EMS crews, then taken a short distance to the Culver High soccer field.

A Life Flight helicopter flew Lucero to St. Charles Bend, where a nursing supervisor said he was in good condition late Saturday afternoon.

Alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor to the crash, the sheriff said.

Mach was wanted on a felony, no-bail arrest warrant on charges of larceny and violating a release agreement and conditional release, Adkins said. Lucero is on post-prison supervision for drug charges, with a restriction barring alcohol possession or consumption.