Prineville man, 2 daughters hurt in Hwy. 26 rollover crash

A Prineville man and his two young daughters were injured Wednesday evening in the violent rollover crash of their minivan on Highway 26 just east of Prineville, leaving the girls pinned beneath it, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said.

The sheriff’s office and Prineville police were dispatched around 7:45 p.m. to the reported crash near the weigh station on the eastern edge of Prineville, said Sgt. Bill Elliott.

They arrived to find a green 2001 Mazda minivan driven by Nathaniel Purdy, 35, who may have been thrown from the vehicle, Elliott said. Two juvenile females had been thrown from the minivan and were pinned under it until they were pulled out by the first crews on scene.

Several citizens already were on scene, helping with medical care, the sergeant said.

Deputies found the Mazda had rolled and come to rest on the south side of the highway. Through their investigation, they learned Purdy was heading west into Prineville, and the minivan traveled about 260 feet from the road shoulder, rolling several times.

Elliott said it appeared to have gone airborne for another 80 feet before coming to rest in an irrigation canal. The front of the minivan was embedded into the ground and the rest was unsupported in the air, he said.

All three occupants were taken to St. Charles Prineville, the girls with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, said Undersheriff James Savage. Purdy was treated for minor injuries there, and the girls were flown to St. Charles Bend for treatment, he said.

It’s not known why Purdy’s minivan left the roadway, but “alcohol may be a contributing factor” in the crash, Elliott said in a news release, adding that the investigation was continuing, assisted by Prineville police.

Seat belt information is not available, Savage added.

The Oregon Department of Transportation also responded, Elliott said, and Highway 26 was limited to one lane of traffic for about an hour.