DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore.— On May 8 at approximately 8:52 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a fatal two-vehicle crash on Highway 97, near milepost 156, in Deschutes County.
The preliminary investigation indicated a southbound Dodge Caravan, operated by Anthony Buddrick Torres, 25, of La Pine, crossed the centerline and struck a northbound Kenworth commercial motor vehicle and trailer, operated by Florentino Cruz Aguilar, 52, of Williams, Calif., head-on. The collision caused both vehicles to become fully engulfed in flames and required local fire crews efforts to extinguish the fires.
Torres was declared deceased at the scene. Aguilar, the operator of the Kenworth, suffered reportedly minor injuries and was transported to an area medical center.
The highway was impacted for an extended period of time during the investigation and cleanup of the vehicles. The operator of the Dodge had been reported as suicidal prior to the crash and the crash is suspected to have been intentional.
OSP was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Sunriver Fire, Alfalfa Fire, La Pine Fire, and ODOT.
The investigation is on-going and no addition information is currently available.
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