Injury Motor Vehicle Crash Highway 126 at SW Helmholtz Avenue

Deschutes Co. Sheriff's Office - 04/30/18

On Monday, 4/30/18, at approximately 1532 hours, deputies from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of an injury motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 126 at SW Helmholtz Avenue just west of Redmond.  Deschutes County Dispatch reported multiple vehicles were involved with non-life threatening injuries reported. 

An investigation at the scene determined that Gertraud Morrison, operating a gray Dodge Pickup, was attempting to cross Highway 126 on SW Helmholtz Avenue from south to north.  As she attempted to cross the highway, she pulled into the path of Jeffrey Hewitt, also operating a Dodge Ram pickup, who was traveling westbound on the highway.  The two pickups collided in the westbound lane of Highway 126 sending both vehicles into the southbound lane of SW Helmholtz Avenue, where the gray dodge pickup impacted into the 2000 Plymouth Breeze, operated by Margaret Brundage, who was stopped at the stop sign waiting to cross the highway southbound.  The Breeze was pushed backwards into the car behind it,  a 2017 Audi Q5, operated by Roland White, who was also stopped at the stop sign for southbound travel on Helmholtz Avenue. 

Jeffrey Hewitt was transported by Redmond Fire Ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Redmond with non-life-threatening injuries.  Speed, alcohol and/or drugs, nor distracted driving are believed to be related to this crash.   

The sheriff's office was assisted at the scene by the Oregon State Police, Redmond Police, ODOT and the Redmond Fire Department.  Traffic was diverted onto Antler from southbound Helmholtz Avenue as a detour around the crash.  Helmholtz Avenue between Antler and Highway 126 was closed for approximately 1.5 hours during the investigation.  Hwy 126 remained opened with the assistance of ODOT.