Prineville man dies in vehicle collision east of Redmond

A Prineville man died in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 126 near Redmond.

The crash happened around 7:30 a.m. on Friday, June 28, near milepost 6. According to an Oregon State Police (OSP) report, a preliminary investigation determined that a westbound Honda Civic, operated by 24-year-old Humberto Ruiz Vargas of Prineville, drifted off the side of the roadway with the passenger side tires entering the gravel shoulder as it negotiated a left- hand curve. The Honda overcorrected and crossed the centerline into the eastbound lane and was struck on the passenger side by a Nissan Rogue, operated by 39-year-old Summer Ann Zimmerman of Redmond. The vehicles came to rest on the eastbound shoulder with the Nissan rolling to its passenger side.

Ruiz Vargas was life-flighted to an area hospital where he was declared deceased. Zimmerman and passenger, Harley Rose Isaacson, 22, of Redmond, were both seriously injured and transported to an area hospital.

The highway was impacted for approximately four hours during the on-scene investigation. OSP was assisted by Crook County Fire, Redmond Fire, Crooks County Sheriffs' Office, Redmond Police Department and Oregon Department of Transportation.