The Crook County Sheriff’s Office said “alcohol was definitely a factor with both drivers” after a head-on collision near Prineville Wednesday night sent two men to the hospital.
Sgt. Brian Bottoms said the crash happened about 10:15 on SE Juniper Canyon Road near milepost 1. Dispatch reported there were two cars involved in a head-on crash and one of the drivers had been ejected from the vehicle.
When deputies arrived, they found a black Toyota pickup off the east side of Juniper Canyon Road. The driver, 24-year-old Jacob Hendrix, had been ejected from the truck and had a major laceration to his face and scalp. Police tended to Hendrix until medics arrived on the scene, Bottoms said.
The second vehicle was a white Toyota pickup driven by 76-year-old Dorsey Berrier. The white Toyota was in the middle of Juniper Canyon Road blocking both lanes of travel.
Berrier was still in his truck complaining of pain and obvious injuries to his left arm.
Both Berrier and Hendrix were taken to St. Charles in Prineville by ambulance. Hendrix was then airlifted to St. Charles in Bend and then airlifted to an unknown hospital in Portland. Berrier was later airlifted to St. Charles in Bend, Bottoms said.
Witness accounts and information from the scene indicated Hendrix was driving north on Juniper Canyon Road, and Berrier was heading south.
Berrier’s truck crossed the center line and hit Hendrix vehicle.
“Alcohol was definitely a factor with both drivers,” Bottoms said. “An investigation is still ongoing regarding the driving under the influence of intoxicants on both parties involved.”
Traffic on Juniper Canyon Road was blocked for about 45 minutes until traffic could be diverted around the accident scene using the shoulder of the road.
Juniper Canyon was not fully opened to both lanes of travel for about two hours until both trucks and the debris had been removed.
The Crook County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Crook County Fire and Rescue, Crook County Road Department, The Prineville Police Department, and The Oregon State Police.
