Prineville man killed in O’Neil Highway crash

(Update: OSP confirms fatality, releases name, details)

A 43-year-old Prineville man was killed Thursday evening when he lost control of his speeding car on a curve on the O’Neil Highway just east of Redmond and struck an oncoming pickup truck, Oregon State Police reported.

OSP and other emergency personnel responded around 6:40 p.m. to the two-vehicle crash on the highway, also known as state Highway 370, near milepost 2, troopers said.

A preliminary investigation found Matthew Herrera of Prineville was driving a Chevy Impala eastbound ” at a high rate of speed when he lost control on a corner and slid sideways into the westbound lane, ” OSP Capt. Tim Fox said in a news release Friday morning.

The car collided with a westbound GMC pickup truck driven by Aaron Ruhl , 37, of Prineville.

Herrera sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene, Fox said. Ruhl and his passenger, Jessica Heggie , 32, of Prineville, were taken to St. Charles Bend, where they were treated for their injuries and released, according to a hospital representative.

OSP was assisted at the crash scene by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Fire and Rescue, and ODOT.

Fox said the road was wet at the time from storms moving through the area.

The crash and investigation closed the highway for several hours, about two miles east of the Highway 97 intersection.