Two adults and two children were sent to the hospital Sunday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97 at Deschutes Junction when a driver lost control of his car on the “treacherously slick” road conditions, spun around, and struck an SUV, deputies reported. All lanes of traffic were closed for more than an hour.
According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Sgt. Vance Lawrence, Madras resident Blake Wallace, 22, lost control of his 2001 Honda Accord suddenly on road conditions described as treacherously slick with snow and ice. Traveling north, the car spun around at least once, maybe more, crossed the center median and while sliding backwards struck a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe.
Both vehicles sustained major damage, Lawrence said, and all four occupants of the Honda sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported by ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
The injured were identified as Wallace (the driver), and passengers 27-year old April Goddard, four-year-old Tanner Mann, and one-and-a-half-year-old Isaiah Wallace. All were from Madras, the sergeant said.
None of the six occupants of the Tahoe were injured. All Madras residents, they were identified as driver Robert Brown, 65; Steven Fracasso, Sr., 43; Steven Fracasso, Jr., 18; Michael Fracasso, 14; Hailee Fracasso, 10, and Jordan Brown, 14.
No citations were issued, Sgt. Lawrence reported.