Bend Parkway reopens after five-vehicle injury crash near Empire Avenue

(Update: Parkway reopens; 2 minor injuries; dog missing)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A five-vehicle injury crash partially closed the Bend Parkway for about an hour late Thursday afternoon and sent two people to the hospital, police said.

The crash was reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. between the Empire Avenue offramp and Highway 20 interchange, closing southbound lanes and slowing northbound traffic as well.

Sgt. Cindy Ksenzulak said two people were taken to St. Charles Bend with apparently minor injuries. The southbound lanes reopened around 5:30 p.m.

ODOT's TripCheck page earlier urged motorists to use an alternate route until the crash near milepost 135 could be cleared.

Ksenzulak said a brown dog was missing from one of the vehicles, possibly a chocolate Lab.