Six people were injured Tuesday afternoon in three separate, but related crashes on Highway 97, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Just after 4:30 p.m. deputies responded to a multiple-vehicle crash on Highway 97 north of Tumalo Road.
The Initial reports indicated the northbound lane of travel was blocked and one person was trapped inside their vehicle.
Upon arrival, deputies determined three separate but related crashes had occurred.
The Investigating deputies determined 87-year-old Margaret Kleeby of Bend had been parked, facing north, on the northbound shoulder of the road, intending on turning around.
As Kleeby made her turn, her vehicle was struck by a car driven by 53-year-old Michael Grass of Redmond who was traveling northbound in the slow lane of travel.
The collision spun Kleeby’s vehicle around when it was struck by 23-year-old Ashlee Cooper of Redmond, who was traveling northbound in the fast lane of travel.
This crash caused congestion in the northbound lanes of travel along Highway 97 to south of Tumalo Road.
Malena Flores-Juarez, 58, of Madras, was northbound in the fast lane of travel and slowing for the congestion when she was rear-ended by 35-year-old Rebecca Mills of Bend.
In an attempt to avoid the second crash, 30-Juana Munoz of Redmond pulled into the turn lane and was rear-ended by 25-year-old Jacob Clawson.
ODOT crews arrived and assisted with removing the vehicles from the road.
All occupants of the vehicles, including three children in Juarez’s car, were either wearing seatbelts or were in a child safety seat.
Kleeby, Mills, the three kids, and Juarez were all taken with non-life-threatening injuries to St. Charles in Bend and Redmond.
The crashes closed northbound Highway 97 for about 90 minutes.
