Update: Girl, 6, critically injured in Hwy. 97 head-on crash

Oregon State Police said Wednesday they want to speak to witnesses to a three-vehicle head-on crash on Highway 97 south of Redmond late Tuesday that sent eight people to the hospital, including a critically injured 6-year-old girl.

Just before 4:30 p.m., troopers and other first responders were sent to the crash near milepost 125, about a mile south of Redmond, said OSP Lt. Bill Fugaat about 4:30PM, OSP Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a head on crash on Highway 97 near milepost 125 (about one mile south of Redmond).

According to Senior Trooper Scott Show, a 1994 Ford Explorer driven by Bobby J. Howie, 38, of Redmond, was heading south when she crossed over into the northbound lanes.

Howie’s SUV struck a 2007 GMC Yukon and then a 2015 Honda Pilot before coming to rest in the roadway.

Howie and her five passengers were injured. One, a 6-year-old girl, was critically injured and flown to St. Charles Bend, troopers said.

The driver of the GMC, Virgil Wynia, 66, of Redmond, and the driver of the Honda, Patricia Beamer, 45, also of Redmond, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, OSP said.

Beamer was in good condition Wednesday at St. Charles Redmond, said hospital spokeswoman Lisa Goodman. Howie and Wynia were no longer in the system, meaning they apparently were treated and released.

The crash blocked all lanes of the highway for about 90 minutes and traffic was restricted to two lanes for another 90 minutes as the investigation was conducted.

OSP was assisted by the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Redmond Police Department.

OSP is asking for any witnesses to the crash to contact the agency’s Northern Command Center at 503-375-3555.

Both AirLink and Life Flight air ambulances were called to the scene, while fire medics were called upon to help extricate some patients trapped in wreckage.

Sgt. David McKenzie said at the scene at least two people were thrown from the Explorer and one had to be extricated from the back of the SUV.

It was the second injury crash on Highway 97 south of Redmond in about six hours.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Harvey Wax, 78, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was heading south on Highway 97 when he apparently missed the turn for the Redmond Airport around 10 a.m.

Wax, accompanied by wife Robin, 74, pulled into a private driveway to turn around, and as he pulled out to cross the southbound lanes, he pulled into the path of a car driven by Devon Fernald, 29, of Redmond.

Fernald was treated and released at the scene. The Waxes were taken by ambulance to St. Charles Bend, where they were listed in fair condition later Tuesday. That crash blocked the highway for about 10 to 15 minutes and restricted for about another hour.

Wax was cited for failure to yield entering a roadway.