Car crash: Driver jailed, three people to hospital, infant OK
LORANE, Ore. - Three people wound up at the hospital after a driver lost control of his car on a rural western Oregon highway and spun into an oncoming car, Oregon State Police said.
Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.
And yes: The driver wound up in jail.
Ryk Francisco, 29, of Eugene faces charges ranging from driving intoxicated to identity theft after the Friday night carcrash on Territorial Highway.
According to OSP Trooper Evan Sether, on July 15, 2011 at approximately 10:53 p.m., Francisco was northbound on Territorial Highway at milepost 33 behind the wheel of a Honda Civic.
While negotiating a left curve, the car went onto the gravel shoulder. Francisco lost control and over-corrected, police said.
The Honda spun into the southbound lane where it was struck by a Toyota Corolla operated by Margaret Becker, 52, from Lorane, Ore.
Becker and her passenger Geraldine Armstrong, 74, of Leesburg, Fla., were taken to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. A 15-month-old infant was not injured.
Francisco had minor injuries but was not taken from the scene by medics. His passenger, Stephen Ybarra, 39, of Eugene was taken to Sacred Heart by friends.
Troopers jailed Francisco on charges of:
- Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
- Assault in the Third Degree (3 counts)
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person (4 counts)
- Reckless Driving
- Furnishing False Information to Police
- Identity Theft
Both vehicles came to rest blocking the southbound lane, disrupting traffic on Territorial Highway north of Lorane.
OSP was assisted at the scene by ODOT and the South Lane Rural Fire Department.
Territorial Highway was restricted to one lane for approximately one hour during the investigation.
