Bend pedestrian struck, seriously injured; police say he was crossing street outside crosswalk

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man was struck and seriously injured late Tuesday afternoon as he crossed a northeast Bend intersection outside of the crosswalk, police said.

Officers responded shortly before 5 p.m. to the vehicle-pedestrian crash in the 200 block of Franklin Avenue, near the Third Street intersection, police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.

The 53-year-old pedestrian reportedly was crossing Franklin Avenue outside the crosswalk when he was struck by a 2008 white Chevy Impala heading west, Miller said.

The driver reported low visibility, said he didn’t see the pedestrian until he was on his hood. Miller said the driver stopped and cooperated with police and was not cited in the crash.

Witnesses reported it was very dark in the area, she said, and that the pedestrian did not yield to traffic.

The crash victim was taken to St. Charles Bend, then flown by air ambulance to a Portland-area hospital for further treatment, Miller said.

“Bend police would like to remind drivers of the importance of defensive driving, particularly when it is dark out or weather decreases visibility,” the police spokeswoman added.