Three Hwy. 97 crashes send 6 to hospitals, close NB lanes near Deschutes Juntion
DCSO says all injuries non-life-threatening; lanes were closed 90 minutes
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Three separate but related crashes Tuesday afternoon on U.S. Highway 97 near Deschutes Junction sent six people to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries and closed the northbound lanes for about 90 minutes, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Wednesday.
Deputies responded around 4:35 p.m. to the first reported multiple-vehicle crash north of Tumalo Road, Lt. Mike Biondi said. First reports indicated a northbound lane was blocked and one person was trapped in a vehicle. The deputies soon learned of the three separate crashes.
Investigating deputies determined an 87-year-old Bend woman was parked on the northbound highway shoulder, intending to turn around, Biondi said.
As she turned to do so, her car was struck by a car driven by a 53-year-old Redmond man in the northbound right-hand (slow) lane. The collision spun the woman’s car around, where it was struck by a 22-year-old Redmond woman’s car heading north in the left (fast) lane, Biondi said.
As the crash backed up northbound traffic, a 58-year-old Madras woman was slowing for the congestion when her vehicle was rear-ended by a 35-year-old Bend woman’s car, Biondi said. There were three juveniles, two girls and a boy, riding in the woman’s car.
In an attempt to avoid the second crash, A Redmond woman pulled her vehicle into the center turn lane and was rear-ended by a 25-year-old Terrebonne man’s pickup, according to the lieutenant.
Three drivers and the three juveniles were taken by Bend Fire & Rescue medics to St. Charles Bend and Redmond with non-life-threatening injuries, Biondi said.
