Prineville man killed in single-vehicle rollover crash on Highway 26 near Ochoco Reservoir

PRINEVILLE Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville man was killed early Monday morning when his pickup truck drifted across the oncoming lane of U.S. Highway 26 east of Prineville, left the road and hit a rock and tree before flipping onto its side, Oregon State Police said Wednesday. A medical event is the suspected cause.

OSP and others responded shortly before 6 a.m. to the single-vehicle crash near milepost 26, about six miles east of Prineville along the Ochoco Reservoir, troopers said.

A preliminary investigation found that Clifford Dean Shields, 54, was driving a westbound Toyota Tundra when he drifted across the eastbound lane, left the highway and struck a rock and tree.

Troopers said the pickup began to roll and came to rest on the passenger side, on the east side of the highway.

Motorists who were in the area stopped, removed the driver and performed CPR, OSP said, but Shields died at the scene.

Troopers said a medical event is considered the possible cause of the crash.

The crash and investigation affected the highway for about three hours. OSP said it was assisted by the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Crook County Fire & Rescue and ODOT.