Bend Police say a large group of teens on e-motorcycles created traffic concerns Sunday afternoon after gathering at the Mt. Bachelor Park & Ride, then riding through downtown, Galveston Avenue and westside roads. Callers reported more than 30 riders doing wheelies and ignoring traffic laws. Officers attempted a stop, but many rode off. Three juveniles, ages 12, 14 and 15, were cited or referred to Deschutes County Juvenile Community Justice for violations including no license, no helmet and riding on the sidewalk. One e-motorcycle was impounded. Police remind families: riders under 16 cannot legally operate e-bikes, and off-road electric motorcycles are not allowed on city streets.
A Silverton woman was rescued after becoming hypothermic on a hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness, Wednesday. Deschutes County 911 received an alert from a Garmin SOS device near Golden Lake. Search and Rescue volunteers responded and hiked more than six miles through high winds, rain and snow, finding the 56-year-old after about five hours. They gave her dry clothes and warm blankets, and helped her walk back to the trailhead. She was able to drive herself into town to rest and recover.
Deschutes County authorities are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash northeast of Sisters. Deputies say it happened Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 on Wilt Road, east of Fair Mile Lane. Investigators report a white 2018 Ford F-150 was traveling east when it left the roadway on the north shoulder and struck a Ponderosa pine tree. The driver, 82-year-old Frank Halvorsen of Sisters, was pronounced dead at the scene. An 81-year-old female passenger suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital by Sisters–Camp Sherman medics. The Sheriff’s Office says the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Extreme fire danger continues across Central Oregon, with Stage 2 public use restrictions still in place. Anyone heading into areas affected by recent fires is urged to plan ahead, monitor changing weather, and obey all posted signs. Forest Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Webb says reopened burn areas, including Akawa Butte, may look accessible, but hazards remain. She says people can return, “but if you are going to enter the burned area, you should definitely do so with caution.” Webb tells KBND News wind, rain, ice, and snow can loosen trees, rocks, and slopes, creating unstable and dangerous conditions.
Crook County authorities say a Redmond man has died following a kayaking accident at Prineville Reservoir. Deputies were called Saturday evening after reports of someone in distress in the water north of Powder House Cove Day Use Area. Poor cell service made details difficult to gather. Responders found an overturned kayak near the north shoreline, with a backpack and fishing pole still inside. Search teams, including Airlink, a marine deputy, drone support, and dive rescue crews from Klamath and Deschutes counties, assisted. On Monday, divers recovered 39-year-old Ricardo Toribio Amezcua in about 90 feet of water. Officials believe this to be a tragic accident with no foul play suspected.
