Four people were injured when their car plunged off the road and rolled down an embankment about a mile east of Lyons on Monday afternoon.
Deputy Tom Barber was sent to the scene at North Fork Road SE and Pioneer Road SE at 2:33pm.
He arrived to find a 1994 white Jeep Patriot facing backwards, about 80′ down the embankment near the Little Santiam River. He could see one occupant trapped under the wrecked car.
Stayton Fire District and Lyons Rural Fire District Medics responded to the scene to assist in recovering the injured parties.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the Jeep was traveling northeast on North Fork Road when it drifted off the edge of the roadway. The driver over corrected, causing the Jeep to return to the roadway and then shoot off the opposite side of the road, down the steep embankment. The car rolled several times before stopping. Neither speed nor alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash. It has not yet been determined if seat belts were worn by the occupants.
The driver was identified as James Cole Prevett, 18, of Salem. He was treated for minor injuries at the Santiam Hospital.
Prevett’s passengers were identified as Marcus Faaitiiti, 18, Jonathan Egner, 18, and Taylor Kennedy, 17, all of Salem.
Faaitiiti and Egner were also transported to Santiam Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Ms. Kennedy was riding in the rear seat of the car and was partially ejected during the crash. It took fire personnel and medics about 45 minutes to extricate Kennedy from under the car. Her serious injuries required the delivery of several units of whole blood from the Santiam Hospital before she could be safely transported from the scene. A Reach Air Medical Services helicopter flew Ms. Kennedy to Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland.
North Fork Road SE was closed between Highway 22 and Gates Hill Road SE for several hours while the car was recovered and the scene investigated by members of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office CRASH team.
News Release and Photos from: Marion Co. Sheriff’s Office
