Prineville woman jailed in hit-and-run crash that injured passenger

Boulder, road sign, speed bumps hit; deputies followed tire, gouge marks to driver's home

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville woman was jailed on assault, reckless driving and other charges after a hit-and-run crash that injured a passenger not wearing a seat belt, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said Sunday.

Deputies responded around 8:20 a.m. to the reported hit-and-run in the Ochoco West community northwest of Prineville, Sgt. Tim Durheim said.

It was determined the 44-year-old woman tried to negotiate a turn too quickly at the intersection of Grizzly Road and Northwest Prine Road and struck a boulder, a road sign and damaged several speed bumps, Durheim said.

She then left the scene in her heavily damaged Chevy Silverado pickup, leaving behind several vehicle parts, as well as tire and gouge marks leading to her home.

Investigators learned the woman had left a Prineville saloon Saturday evening, accompanied by a man, and was driving home at the time of the crash, which she did not report. The male passenger had several facial injuries.

The woman was booked into the Crook County Jail on charges of fourth-degree assault, criminal mischief, reckless driving, reckless endangering, felony-level driving with a suspended license and failure to perform the duties of a driver after a crash leading to property damage and injuries.

Alcohol and speed are believed to be contributing factors to this crash, Durheim said.

“The Crook County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind people to always wear a seat belt and drive sober,” he added.

It was the second hit-and-run crash arrest in Crook County this weekend.

In the other, a 55-year-old Prineville man was arrested in a DUII hit-and-run crash on Combs Flat Road in which the driver struck two parked cars, a telephone pole and a fence, also knocking down a road sign.