Ten firefighters were injured in a vehicle crash west of Prineville on Oregon Highway 126 early this morning when their van collided with a commercial truck.
The firefighters, from Lava River Forestry in the Salem area, were enroute to the Briley Mountain Fire in the John Day area when the driver, Jeremy Meisner, 35, of Salem, fell asleep. The van drifted into the westbound lane at a curve in the road and crashed into the front left side of a truck driven by Scott Ramage, 48, of Washington. The crash occurred about 2:15 a.m.
All of the firefighters were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Nine were treated for minor injuries and have been released. Marcelino Cuesta Romero, 39, is in critical condition at St. Charles Bend. Ramage and his passenger were not injured.
Meisner was cited by Oregon State Police for failure to drive within a lane.
Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Prineville Police Department, Crook County Fire & Rescue, LifeFlight, Air Link, and ambulances from Redmond and Jefferson County assisted Oregon State Police.
