Accidente fatal de dos vehículos en la autopista 97

Date: January 2, 2011
Ubicación: Highway 97 near Chemult
Nombres: Hadley Ann Alger, Collin Runnels, Brittainy Anne Pendleton

According to an Oregon State Police news release, a two-vehicle crash on Highway 97 about six miles south of the Klamath/Deschutes County line has resulted in a fatality.

In a statement by OSP Recruit Trooper Nicholas Hagedorn, on January 2 at about 11:47am Hadley Ann Alger, age 65 of Chico, California, was driving her 2003 Subaru Station Wagon south on Highway 97 near milepost 218 when she lost control, crossed into the oncoming lane and crashed head-on into a 1988 Ford Ranger driven by Collin Runnels, age 24 from Klamath Falls.

Alger, who had been alone in her car and was returning home after visiting a relative in the Bend area, was pronounced dead at the scene. The road conditions at the time were snow and ice.

Runnels and his passenger Brittainy Anne Pendleton, age 24 of Klamath Falls, were transported to Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls. Pendleton suffered serious injuries and was later taken by air ambulance to Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland for emergency surgery. Runnels was treated for non life-threatening injuries and released.

Our hearts go out to Ms. Alger’s family and friends, and we hope that Ms. Pendleton will recover from her injuries quickly.

With the return of colder temperatures to the area drivers need to be alert for icy and snowy road conditions. Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation ask everyone to slow down, increase following distances so you can safely stop, stay alert and drive carefully. Potentially dangerous driving conditions are factoring into more traffic crashes and other roadside emergencies.

They are issuing these additional tips:

• Planifica con antelación para darte tiempo de sobra para llegar a tu destino.
• Manténgase informado sobre las condiciones meteorológicas, los peligros potenciales de tráfico y los cierres de carreteras.
• Verifica las condiciones de la carretera visitando www.TripCheck.com o llamando al 5-1-1.
• Asegúrate de que tu vehículo esté listo para la conducción invernal empezando con buenos neumáticos, una buena batería y el tanque de gasolina lleno.
• Lleva un kit de emergencia y cadenas o neumáticos con tracción, especialmente si viajas por pasos de montaña.
• Conduce según las condiciones. Si está mojado, con hielo, nieve o niebla, reduce la velocidad y aumenta la distancia de seguimiento con otros vehículos a al menos cuatro segundos. Ten en cuenta que las condiciones podrían no ser seguras para conducir a la velocidad indicada.
• Manténgase alerta ante posibles condiciones de hielo durante el clima frío en puentes, curvas y áreas sombreadas.
• Usa las luces delanteras incluso de día para que otros conductores te vean.
• No uses el control de crucero en condiciones de humedad, hielo, nieve o niebla.