Hit-and-Run Driver Turns Herself In After Oregon Injury Accident

Date: December 31, 2009
Location: SE Wilson Avenue & Fifth Street, Bend, Oregon
Names: Jayson Barker, Kelsey Colleen Magee

After a hit-and-run driver seriously injured a Bend, Oregon, pedestrian on New Year’s Eve, the driver came forward and turned herself in.

The victim, Jayson Barker, 20, suffered a brain injury in the crash, and doctors said his condition was critical.

Late on the night of December 31, 2009, a motorist spotted Barker lying in the middle of the road near SE Wilson Avenue and Fifth Street in Bend, and called Deschutes County 911. Barker, who was unconscious, was transported to St. Charles Medical Center – Bend. As of January 3, he was in the ICU, recovering from emergency brain surgery.

Hospital representatives told KTVZ.com that his condition was “very critical,” and while his vital signs were stable, “doctors do not know the extent of brain damage right now.”

After the accident, police determined that Barker was hit by a metallic-blue 2003 to 2005 Toyota 4Runner SUV. Around 9:40 PM, January 1, Kelsey Colleen Magee, 31, of Bend, contacted police about the crash. She was driving a blue 2003 Toyota 4Runner that night.

Police verified that Magee’s car was involved in the crash. She was arrested for failure to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person, and held at Deschutes County Jail. Around 2:30 AM January 2, she was released on bail. She is to appear in court January 19.

The investigation is continuing, but police said speed and alcohol do not appear to have contributed.

Hit-and-run is a serious crime, and conviction will result in your driving privileges being suspended or revoked. In any accident, you have the following obligations:

·    Stop at once. If anyone is killed or unconscious, you must stay at the scene until a police officer arrives.
·    Render aid. Do not move an injured person carelessly, but give reasonable aid.
·    Exchange information with the other driver. Give them your name, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information. DMV offers a printable checklist you can download and keep in your car.
·    Report the accident to DMV.

We implore drivers in any accident situation to put the safety and welfare of others above their own interests, and always, always remain at the scene and make sure no one is hurt. We send our thoughts and prayers to Barker for a full recovery, and we hope Barker’s family finds support and strength to carry them through.

The hit-and-run driver must be held civilly and criminally responsible for his actions. And the Barker family may be well advised to contact a Portland hit-and-run attorney who will fight for the justice and compensation that they deserve. At DuBois Law Group, we believe that what happened in this crash is simply unacceptable; we are committed to making sure that hit-and-run drivers are held accountable for their actions and that both victims and families receive the compensation they deserve.

DuBois Law Group, is located in Portland, Oregon, and serves clients in all Oregon cities and counties, including: Portland, Beaverton, Multnomah County, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tualatin, Troutdale, Sellwood, Corvallis, Salem, Eugene, and Albany.