Prineville drivers charged in pair of rollover crashes

Two Prineville residents escaped serious injury but face charges after a pair of unrelated rollover crashes in Crook County on Sunday, sheriff’s deputies said.

The first occurred around 3:48 a.m., when deputies responded to a crash on the Powell Butte Highway near milepost 5, Sgt. Mitch Madden said.

Deputies learned a Chevy Suburban driven by Shawn Bates, 28, was heading east toward Prineville when he apparently fell asleep and the SUV left the road, flipping onto the driver’s side in the southbound lane, Madden said.

Bates sustained cuts to his left arm due to the crash and was taken to St. Charles Prineville for a medical evaluation.

Based on contact with the driver and an investigation that found a blood-alcohol content of .09 (above the legal limit), Bates was arrested by citation in lieu of custody on a DUII charge, Madden said.

The sheriff’s office was assisted by Active Towing and the Crook County Road Department.

The second crash was reported around 2:18 p.m. Sunday, when deputies were dispatched to a rollover crash on Mill Creek Road, east of Prineville. Madden said dispatchers were told a Ford pickup had crashed into a utility pole and landed upside-down in an embankment.

Deputies said the driver, Mitchell Wells, 18, managed to get out of the wreckage uninjured.

An investigation determined Wells was heading north on the road when he failed to negotiate a curve near milepost 2. Evidence indicated the truck went airborne, struck a utility pole and rolled onto its top.

Wells was cited on a charge of failure to drive within a lane. Madden said speed is considered to be a contributing factor, but alcohol is not.

Central Electric Cooperative crews responded to repair the damaged utility pole. The sheriff’s office was assisted by Oregon State Police and Dave’s Towing. Mill Creek Road was closed for about 20 minutes while the truck was removed from the embankment, Madden said.