Prineville man killed, driver hurt in Juniper Canyon crash

A Prineville man was killed and a Prineville woman injured when she lost control of her SUV and it crashed Saturday evening on Juniper Canyon Road, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said Sunday as they identified the victims.

Deputies were dispatched at 5:16 p.m. Saturday to the reported single-vehicle rollover crash near milepost three on Juniper Canyon Road, said Sgt. Travis Jurgens. Deputies arrived to find a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee on the west side of the road, facing east and partly blocking the southbound lane.

Jurgens said an investigation determined that the driver, Sandra Kenner, 50, and passenger Anthony Johnson, 51, had been heading north on the road after dropping off a family member.

At the time of the crash, Jurgens said, Kenner became temporarily distracted, upon realizing the family member had left his cellphone in the car.

As Kenner was giving the cellphone to Johnson,she lost control of the Jeep and it crashed, the sergeant said.

The SUV left the east side of the road and struck a rock wall, then crossed both lanes of traffic before coming to rest.

Though both occupants were wearing seatbelts, Johnson was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene, Jurgens said. Kanner was taken to St. Charles Prineville with non-life-threatening injuries, he added.

The investigation that closed the road for about three hours is continuing, Jurgens said Sunday, and no citations have been issued.

Jurgens said the roadway was dry at the time of the crash. The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by the Oregon State Police, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Road Department and Crook County Fire and Rescue.