Antelope teen escapes serious injury in Madras crash

A 16-year-old Antelope resident escaped serious injury Tuesday morning when her car left Highway 97 in Madras and struck a power pole, sending lines falling onto the highway, Oregon State Police reported.

Troopers and other emergency personnel responded to the crash around 7 a.m. just south of the junction of highways 97 and 26.

According to Senior Trooper Clint Prevett, the 16-year-old female driver was at the wheel of a 1998 Volvo sedan heading south on Highway 97 when it crossed over into the northbound lane, then off the roadway. The car struck a power pole and came to rest on the shoulder. The power pole broke and dropped power lines onto the highway.

A family member took the teen to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, Prevett said.

Highway 97 was closed for about an hour while utility crews moved the power lines off the highway.

Fatigue is being considered a contributing factor in the crash, the trooper said.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Madras Police, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County EMS and the Oregon Department of Transportation.