2 teens critically hurt in SUV-Mt. Bachelor shuttle bus crash on Century Drive; Hwy. 97 reopens after crash north of Redmond
(Update: Highway 97 between Redmond and Terrebonne reopened after Saturday night crash)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Two teens were critically injured early Saturday afternoon when their SUV slid sideways on Century Drive into the oncoming lane near the Bend city limits and struck a Mt. Bachelor shuttle bus carrying 16 people back from the resort, Oregon State Police said.
The bus struck the Toyota 4Runner on the passenger side, troopers said. There were 15 passengers and a driver on the eastbound Cascades East Transit bus. OSP said one passenger was taken to St. Charles Bend for evaluation and the others had suspected minor or no injuries.
First responders were dispatched around 12:35 p.m. to the crash on state Highway 372 near milepost 5, just west of Skyline Ranch Road and near the entrance to Widgi Creek, officials said.
CET Transportation Director Andrea Breault said, “Our driver is okay and one passenger on board was jostled, but he was fine.”
The 38-passenger bus is 10 to 12 years old and “given the age of the bus, it is most likely totaled” as a result of the crash damage, Breault said.
Shortly after the crash, ODOT advised to expect extended delays. Drivers heading east, returning from the resort were advised use the Sunriver exit, while westbound travelers were urged to take Highway 97 to South Century Drive.
The highway reopened shortly after 2 p.m., ODOT Region 4 spokeswoman Kacey Davey said, but closed again briefly in the late afternoon as crews worked to clear the area.
A motorist on scene told NewsChannel 21 that a CET bus was off the side of the road and the other vehicle was overturned.
The crash occurred on a busy Saturday for the ski resort, as the Cascades saw more long-awaited snowfall from a storm that also brought snow and slick roads to Bend and other areas of the High Desert.
Crashes on the route to Mt. Bachelor involving shuttles are fairly rare. "We do pretty well in terms of safety," Breault said. "However, the road up to the mountain can be slick, and a lot of passenger vehicles drive too fast, given the conditions of the road."
Breault said, "We will continue service throughout today, as well as tomorrow. So no disruption for those who do need to take the shuttle. We do transport a lot of Mt. Bachelor employees, and that's how they get home. So those vehicles are still guaranteed. Some of the runs may just be slightly delayed."
Around 8 p.m. Saturday, a reported injury head-on crash prompted a lengthy closure of U.S. Highway 97 near milepost 118, two miles south of Terrebonne. A detour was set up that drivers were advised to follow. The highway reopened overnight.
You can track traffic updates on our ODOT TripCheck page.
