Pursued Hwy. 20 speeder slams into pole, arrested on DUII

A Bend man was arrested on DUII, reckless driving and other charges after a high-speed police pursuit on Highway 20W early Friday morning. The car soon crashed into a pole, knocking out power to more than 450 Tumalo-area residents for more than five hours, officials said.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m., a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy in the downtown Tumalo area spotted a black 2010 Dodge Challenger heading west on Highway 20 in the Tumalo area, traveling at a high rate of speed estimated at over 100 mph, said Sgt. Aaron Harding.

The deputy tried to pull over the driver, later identified as Michael Kutschara, 27, of Bend, but he sped away, continuing west on the highway, Harding said.

A few minutes later and about 2-3 miles down the highway, the deputy found the car had crashed into a power pole and juniper tree near Dayton Road, the sergeant said. The car had caught fire when the deputy arrived and was starting to burn as Kutschara was getting out. There was no one else in the car, according to Harding.

Kutschara was treated at the scene by Bend fire medics, then arrested on charges of DUII, reckless driving, attempt to elude and criminal mischief. Harding said he was taken to St. Charles Bend, where he was cited and released for treatment. He was not admitted, hospital officials said later.

The crash and investigation closed Highway 20 for about three hours. One lane reopened while Central Electric Cooperative crews replaced the damaged power pole, Harding said.

The outage while repairs were made affected 456 Central Electric Cooperative member accounts from about 12:45 a.m. to 6:15 a.m., said Jeff Beaman, CEC’s member services director.