Bend man arrested for DUI and reckless driving after SUV crashes and lands in pond near Smith Rock

TERREBONNE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A series of complaints about an SUV on Highway 97 whose driver nearly struck several other vehicles Monday afternoon led to the arrest of a 34-year-old Bend man who crashed his vehicle and overturned, landing in a pond near Smith Rock State Park, Deschutes County sheriff's officials said.

The sheriff's office was notified of the traffic complaints around 3:45 p.m. involving a silver SUV traveling between northbound lanes on Highway 97 near mile marker 134, nearly colliding with other vehicles and “obviously unable to maintain its lane,” Sergeant Jason Wall said.

A Community Action Target Team (CATT) officer spotted the SUV near mile marker 124, still traveling north, and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but police lost sight of it as the driver continued north toward Terrebonne.

Just after 4 p.m., officers attempting to locate the SUV were dispatched to a crash in the 2000 block of Wilcox Avenue near Smith Rock, Wall said. The caller told emergency dispatchers that a silver Honda Pilot was in a pond after rolling over in an accident. The caller also said the SUV was not completely submerged, but the driver was unable to get out.

Officers soon arrived and helped the driver out of the SUV. Wall said the driver appeared to be uninjured, but due to the rollover accident, he was taken to St. Charles Redmond for evaluation. After being released, he was taken to the county jail and charged with DUI, reckless driving and second-degree criminal damage to property.

NewsChannel 21's policy is not to release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges have been filed.