Two-vehicle crash sends 4 to hospital, including 2 children, closes Bend Parkway for hours

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A violent, two-vehicle crash closed the Bend Parkway for hours on Friday morning and sent both drivers and two injured children to St. Charles Bend, police reported.

Several callers to 911 dispatchers reported the crash around 8:35 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the parkway (Highway 97), just north of the Revere Avenue exit, Lt. Adam Juhnke said.

The two injured young children were taken to the hospital, while the drivers also sent to St. Charles to be evaluated and receive treatment, he said.

Juhnke said the parkway’s southbound lanes remained closed late Friday morning between Empire Avenue and the Revere Avenue on-ramp. All lanes were reopened by about 1 p.m.

The Bend Police crash reconstruction team was on scene, assisted by Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, Oregon State Police, Bend Fire & Rescue and ODOT crews.

Any witnesses to the crash were urged to call the county non-emergency number at 541-693-6911 and ask to speak with the crash reconstruction team.

Juhnke said police are not releasing more details on the vehicles or occupants at this time, while the crash reconstruction team works to determine the cause and factors involved.