Ten injured in Highway 97 crash north of Bend

Ten people were taken to two hospitals with serious to minor injuries after a nearly head-on crash on Highway 97 north of Bend Sunday afternoon, just one of a large string of crashes around the region that officials said serve as a reminder to slow down on the still-slick streets.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and Bend Fire medics were called out around 1 p.m. to the crash on Highway 97 near Bowery Road, about two miles north of Bend, said Sgt. Vance Lawrence.

They arrived to find a black 2002 Ford Explorer in the ditch on the east side of the highway and a red 2005 Ford F-150 four-door pickup truck facing southwest in the northbound lane, Lawrence said.

The SUV, driven by Jerome Davis, 48, of Redmond, had heavy front-end damage and the pickup, driven by Efrin Mena, 53, of Medford, was heavily damaged on the driver’s side. The F-150 had five passengers and the SUV had three, the sergeant said.

Witnesses told authorities the F-150 was heading south when the driver apparently lost control and crossed into the oncoming lanes, hitting the northbound Explorer nearly head-on.

The SUV driver had to be cut out of the wreckage using Bend Fire Department tools, while the passengers were able to get out on their own, Lawrence said. All four occupants were taken by ambulance to St. Charles Redmond.

The F-150 driver also had to be cut out of the wreckage by firefighters, and all six of the people in the pickup were taken by ambulance to St. Charles Bend.

The injuries in the crash ranged from very minor to serious, though none appeared to be life-threatening, Lawrence said. Four of the occupants were juveniles, ages 7 to 17.

Deputies were assisted at the scene by Oregon State Police, as well as Bend fire crews. ODOT took over traffic control until the investigation was complete and the vehicles were removed.

There have been no citations at this time, Lawrence said.

“The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office would like to ask all drivers to slow down and be very respectful of the dangerous and hazardous driving conditions that will be with us for several days currently and throughout the winter,” Lawrence said in the news release.

“There were multiple crashes and slide-off incidents throughout Deschutes County today,” he added, “and the highest number of them were due to driving too fast for the dangerous conditions.”