OSP renews plea for witnesses in fatal Hwy. 97 crash
(Update: OSP still seeking witnesses, info in crash)
One month after a crash on Highway 97 south of Redmond killed a 19-year-old Redmond resident, Oregon State Police renewed their call Sunday to hear from anyone who witnessed or has information about it.
Sara Edward was killed Thursday morning, March 21, when she tried to avoid a car entering Highway 97, lost control of her SUV and collided with a concrete pumping truck south of Redmond troopers said.
Troopers and emergency medics responded around 6:45 a.m. to the reported crash near milepost 125, south of Redmond, OSP Capt. Tim Fox said.
A preliminary investigation determined that Edwards was driving a silver Honda Pilot heading south on the highway when she attempted to avoid a vehicle entering the highway from the Desert Terrace Mobile Estates, Fox said.
Edwards lost control of her SUV, which slid sideways into the northbound lanes and collided in “T-bone” fashion with a concrete pumping truck driven by a 36-year-old Redmond man, the captain said.
Edwards died at the scene, Fox said, while the truck driver sustained minor injuries.
OSP issued a brief statement on Sunday, providing no new information about the crash but again asking anyone who witnessed it or has information that could help investigators to contact OSP dispatchers at 1-800-442-0776 or text *OSP in reference to case No. SP19-099917.
OSP was assisted at the scene by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond and Bend fire and police agencies and ODOT.
The crash and investigation closed the highway for more than four hours. ODOT said one lane reopened in each direction by 11 a.m. and all lanes just before 3:30 p.m. that day .
