Bend man arrested in DUII crash south of Redmond

A Bend man was who was uninjured in a rollover crash south of Redmond late Wednesday night told Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies he had swerved to avoid a deer in the road, but he was arrested on drunk and reckless driving charges.

Deputies responded around 10:40 p.m. to the single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Southwest Helmholtz Way and Canal Boulevard, Sgt. William Bailey said. They found a silver 2007 Nissan Titan had rolled onto its passenger side on the southwest corner of the intersection.

Bailey said the driver and lone occupant of the pickup, Justin Whinery, 37, of Bend, told deputies he had swerved to miss a deer.

An investigation determined Whinery was heading south on Helmholtz, approaching the intersection, when he failed to negotiate a curve in the road just before the stop sign at Canal Boulevard and rolled the pickup, knocking down and damaging the stop and street sign.

Deputies also determined Whinery was impaired and he was arrested and taken to the county jail in Bend on DUII and reckless driving charges. Bailey said alcohol and speed were believed to be contributing factors in the crash.

Whinery was booked into the jail about 12:30 a.m. Thursday and released less than an hour later to a responsible third party, a jail officer said.

Deputies were assisted at the crash scene by the Redmond Fire Department.