Sisters teen critically injured in Hwy. 20 crash
A 16-year-old Sisters High School student was critically injured in a crash on Highway 20 east of Sisters Wednesday morning, one of several crashes on icy roads in the region, officials said.
Oregon State Police said the teen was at the wheel of a Ford pickup around 8:30 a.m., heading west when he lost control on the icy road, and it crossed the center line and struck the driver’s side of an eastbound Toyota driven by Nathaniel Pixler, 32, of Redmond.
The teen, Logan Miller, and Pixler were taken to St. Charles Bend, where Miller was in critical condition Thursday, a spokeswoman said. Pixler was treated and released.
Troopers said Pixler’s pickup rolled on the eastbound shoulder, while Miller’s pickup traveled in the oncoming lane until it was hit in the driver’s side door by a GMC pickup towing a flatbed trailer and driven by Michael Sterkel, 50, of Troutdale.
All of the vehicles were removed by Davis Towing. troopers said. ODOT, Cloverdale Fire and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance at the scene.
At least two injury crashes occurred Wednesday morning on U.S. Highway 20 in the Plainview area between Sisters and Tumalo, prompting officials to advise caution and avoid the area if possible.
They were two of several crashes around the region as freezing fog and overnight sub-freezing temperatures left roads slick.
Both eastbound lanes of the highway were blocked after the crashes were reported, one shortly before 8:30 and the other after, near the intersections with Fryrear Road and with Cascade Estates Drive.
Around 8:45 a.m. came word of another multi-vehicle crash blocking the southbound lanes of China Hat Road at Southeast Ridge Heights on Bend’s south side, just east of the intersection with China Hat Road.
And just before 9 a.m. another crash was reported on Highway 20 at 10 Peaks Court in the Cloverdale area.
Earlier, a crash on Highway 97 in Redmond blocked both southbound lanes and backed up traffic, a motorist told NewsChannel 21.
Many area roads were slick due to Tuesday’s snow and overnight sub-freezing temperatures. Heavy freezing fog or fog was reported from Redmond
Keep an eye on updates on the ODOT TripCheck page at KTVZ.COM. We’ll also have traffic alerts on our Facebook page and on Twitter @KTVZ.
