Nevada Woman Dies in Crash on Oregon Highway 97

Highway 97 was closed 1 1/2 hours.

Photo of crash scene: Oregon State Police

(CRESENT, Ore.) - A 58-year old Nevada woman died Thursday afternoon when her vehicle crossed the center line on Highway 97 in Crescent and collided with the side of a commercial truck. The victim, whose name is withheld pending next of kin notification, died after arrival at a Bend-area hospital.

Oregon State Police say that at approximately 1:15 PM Thursday, a 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by the victim was northbound on Highway 97 near milepost 186 when it crossed the solid double center line into the path of a southbound 2008 Volvo truck driven by 39-year old Dmitri Aaremba of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Zaremba veered his truck to the right to avoid a collision but the Chrysler's driver side struck the left side drive axles of the truck. After impact investigators say, the Chrysler spun around and came to rest in the northbound lane. Zaremba was able to control his truck and came to a stop in the southbound lane.

The victim was using safety safety restraints and had to be extricated by emergency personnel from Crescent Rural Fire Protection District and Central Cascade EMS. She was taken by air ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend where she died after arrival.

Zaremba and his passenger, 48-year old Svetlana Ablova, also from Saskatoon, were using safety restraints and were not injured. The truck is registered to Bison Transport.

Oregon State Police troopers from the Gilchrist work site are completing the investigation. Personnel from US Forest Service, Walker Range Fire Protection Association, and ODOT also assisted at the scene. Highway 97 was closed 1 1/2 hours.