Head-on Traffic Crash Injures OSP Trooper

Highway 20W was closed about 4 1/2 hours during the scene investigation.

Photograph Source: Oregon State Police

(TUMALO, Ore.) - A Sisters-area man and an Oregon State Police recruit trooper both received non life-threatening injuries Wednesday. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of Oregon State Police, is investigating the traffic crash.

The collision happened on Highway 20W west of Tumalo near Tweed Road. According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Dan Swearingen, on January 7, 2010 at about 8:22 a.m. DCSO, OSP, Bend Fire Department, Cloverdale Fire Department, Black Butte Ranch Police Department and ODOT responded to a reported head-on traffic crash involving an OSP trooper.

Upon arrival, emergency responders found the OSP vehicle off the north side of the highway and a pickup blocking the westbound lane of travel.

A dump truck pulling a trailer was west of the crash scene off the north side of the highway.

The preliminary investigation indicates at approximately 8:20 a.m. a 2006 Ford Ranger pickup driven by 85-year old John Thomas Turner of Sisters was eastbound at about 40 mph on Highway 20 near milepost 10 when he lost control on the extremely icy road.

The pickup crossed the centerline directly into the path of the westbound 2008 Ford Crown Victoria driven by OSP Recruit Trooper 37-year old Joshua Nagle. The pickup's right front section struck the left front section of the OSP patrol car causing extensive damage to both vehicles. After the initial impact, the OSP patrol car went off the north side of the highway and came to rest beyond the gravel shoulder facing west.

The pickup was in the middle of the westbound lane when it was struck in the rear by a westbound 2007 Peterbilt dump truck driven by 46-year old Robert Roscoe of Lebanon. Nagle and Turner were initially attended to by uninvolved motorists before emergency personnel arrived.

Bend Fire Department medics stabilized both drivers at the scene. It took fire personnel about 30 minutes to extricate Nagle using ‘Jaws of Life' equipment.

Both drivers were transported by ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with non-life threatening injuries. Nagle was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon. An update on Turner was not available at this time.

Roscoe was not injured. All occupants were using safety restraints and the OSP patrol car and pickup's airbags deployed.

Nagle has been with OSP for one year and is assigned to the Patrol Services Division at the Bend Area Command office. DCSO is the lead investigating agency being assisted by OSP collision reconstructionists.

Police say alcohol is not considered to be a contributing factor. No enforcement action has been taken at this time.

Highway 20W was closed about 4 1/2 hours during the scene investigation. ODOT handled traffic detours onto Tweed and Couch Market Roads.

OSP says they greatly appreciate the assistance of Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, responding fire and medical personnel, ODOT, motorists who stopped to help the injured drivers, as well as area travelers for their patience during the highway closure.