Fatal crash victim was from Sunriver
Published 5:00 am Monday, March 19, 2007
Police have released the names of those involved in a three-car crash on U.S. Highway 20 northwest of Bend on Saturday.
The crash left one woman dead and six others seriously injured.
Beverly Leatrice Walter, 52, of Sunriver, was killed when the eastbound Volkswagen Jetta she was driving crossed into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Chevrolet Suburban, according to a news release from the Oregon State Police. A third car, a Volkswagen Passat that was following the Suburban, collided with the first two cars.
Walter was pronounced dead on arrival, and her 5-year-old granddaughter, Ariana, was critically injured and transported by ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend, the press release said. She was still in critical condition at the hospital Sunday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The driver and four passengers of the Suburban were all injured and also were taken by ambulance to St. Charles, according to the release. The five people, all from Bend, were identified as driver Carlos Lara, 43; Jennifer Lara, 35; and three juvenile males, Zachary Lara, Zane Lara and Clayton Easterbrooks.
As of Sunday afternoon, Carlos Lara was in serious condition, Jennifer Lara was in critical condition, and Zachary and Zane Lara were in fair condition, according to St. Charles’ spokeswoman. Easterbrooks was treated and released Saturday.
The four occupants of the Jetta – Gregory Jolliffe, 32, Alecia Jolliffe, 31, and their 10- and 5-year-old sons, from Terrebonne – were not injured, the release said.
Officials are still not sure what caused the crash, and Oregon State Police troopers are continuing the investigation, the press release said. The initial investigation showed that all of the people involved in the crash were wearing safety restraints, and the three vehicles’ airbags deployed. But the press release said that 5-year-old Ariana was not properly restrained in a child safety seat and was only wearing a seat belt.
Officials from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon Department of Transportation and local fire and medical agencies assisted at the scene of the accident, which closed down Highway 20 for about two hours.