15-year-old Bend e-bike rider struck, fatally injured by minivan at NE Bend intersection
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 15-year-old Bend teen was fatally injured Saturday afternoon when his e-bike was struck by a minivan that was turning onto Highway 20 at the intersection with Dean Swift Road in northeast Bend, police said.
Officers responded around 4:30 p.m. to the reported injury crash at the busy intersection, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.
Police determined the 15-year-old was operating an e-bike with a teen passenger on the back, heading west on the sidewalk on the eastbound (south) side of Highway 20, Miller said. Neither rider was wearing a helmet, she noted.
The driver of a Dodge Caravan was turning right from Dean Swift Road onto eastbound Highway 20 and struck the e-bike in the Dean Swift Road intersection, Miller said, adding that the driver was cooperative and remained at the crash scene.
“The investigation is ongoing, but at this time, the driver has not been charged or cited,” Miller said.
Bend Fire medics treated and took the 15-year-old to St. Charles Bend with life-threatening injuries, but he died at the hospital, Miller said. The second teen who was on the e-bike when it was struck was not injured, she added.
The Bend Police crash reconstruction team was called to the scene to conduct an investigation. Eastbound Highway 20 and one westbound lane were closed from 15th Street for a time. One eastbound lane stayed closed for a longer period for officers to complete their investigation.
Police thanked Bend Fire and ODOT for their assistance.
Under city regulations, e-bikes are not allowed to be ridden on sidewalks, although they are allowed in crosswalks and bike lanes.
