Bend man killed in rollover crash of pickup on Cascade Lakes Highway

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 33-year-old Bend man was killed in the rollover crash of his pickup truck early Tuesday morning on the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway south of Bend, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies were dispatched around 3:45 a.m. to the reported injury crash at milepost 24.5 on the highway, Sergeant Jason Wall said. Initial reports indicated it was a single-vehicle crash, he said, and the male driver was unconscious and not breathing.

Bend Fire & Rescue medics responded to the crash to assist. But Wall said the driver, identified as Kyle James Smelcer, had died.

A crash investigation determined that Smelcer failed to negotiate a curve in the highway, moving onto the soft shoulder and ultimately rolling several times, Wall said.

Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash, the sergeant said, while alcohol is not believed to be a factor.