Prineville man killed, Crook County HS student seriously injured in rollover crash south of Prineville
(Update: Crook County HS student seriously injured; statement from Crook County School District)
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville man was killed and his younger sibling, a Crook County High School student, was seriously injured Wednesday night in a single-vehicle rollover crash on state Highway 27 south of Prineville, Oregon State Police and school officials said Thursday.
OSP troopers and other emergency personnel responded around 8:10 p.m. to the reported crash on the highway near milepost 5, about four miles south of Prineville, OSP Captain Tim Fox said.
A preliminary investigation found that Clayton Gray, 19, was driving a Kia Spectra heading north when the car crossed the oncoming lane, left the highway and overturned, Fox said. (OSP had reported Gray was from Halfway, in northeast Oregon, but a family member said that was based on outdated driver's license information).
Gray sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The juvenile passenger was flown by AirLink helicopter to St. Charles Bend with serious injuries, Fox said.
The crash investigation closed Highway 27 for several hours, reopening around 3:15 a.m. Thursday, ODOT reported.
OSP was assisted at the scene by the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Crook County Fire & Rescue and ODOT.
The Crook County School District released this statement late Thursday morning:
The Crook County School District learned this morning that one of our students who attends Crook County High School was involved in a single-vehicle rollover crash last night and was airlifted to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. Unfortunately, the student’s older sibling died at the scene.
“Our hearts are broken for the family and we are ready to provide whatever support is needed. We’re a small, close-knit community so tragedies like this affect all of us deeply. We’re praying the student makes a full recovery,” said Michelle Jonas, Crook County High School principal.
“Schools are like family and when one of our own is hurt, or tragedy strikes, we all feel that. Crook County School District is committed to supporting the family and providing all the resources we can to help our students and staff,” expressed Superintendent Dr. Sara Johnson.
These are always difficult and emotional events that affect staff and students in different ways. Counselors at Crook County High School have been meeting with students and will be available all day to answer questions and provide support through this difficult time. We are not releasing the name of the juvenile student out of respect for the family.
