A husband and wife from Gilchrist were killed after the SUV they were in collided with a tree on Knott Road Friday. According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bobby J. Jones, 64, was driving a Dodge Durango that had driven off the road and into a tree near mile post one. Tami M. Jones, 61, the front seat passenger, was also confirmed deceased at the scene.
Deputies learned during the investigation that the Durango was traveling eastbound on Knott Road at a high rate of speed when it attempted to pass a commercial motor vehicle. The commercial motor vehicle was traveling in the same direction. The Durango crossed the center double-yellow lines, and clipped the commercial motor vehicle when it attempted to return to the eastbound lane after almost colliding with a pickup truck traveling westbound. The Durango drove off the roadway, and ultimately collided into a tree.
Based on the investigation, Deputies determined the deceased driver to be at fault for the motor vehicle accident. When Deputies arrived, personnel with Bend Fire were already on scene and communicating with an entrapped male passenger in the back seat of the Durango. Bend Fire successfully extracted the passenger in the back seat and transported him to St. Charles Bend where he was treated for serious injuries.
Oregon State Police assisted with the response to the motor vehicle accident, and Deschutes County Public Works temporarily shut down Knott Road during the investigation.
