Highway 26 quadruple fatal

No further information is available at this time and the investigation continues

(WARM SPRINGS, Ore.) - On September 29, 2010 at about 10:15 p.m. a Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy stopped a vehicle on Highway 26 near milepost 107. The vehicle had been seen earlier by witnesses fleeing the scene of a burglary where gunshots had been reported.

When the deputy walked up to the suspect vehicle during the traffic stop, the driver sped away from the deputy at a high rate of speed. The deputy returned to his patrol vehicle and pursued after the suspect vehicle which was out of sight. Approximately a mile and a half west of the traffic stop location, the deputy drove upon the suspect vehicle which had crashed with a Warm Springs Police Department patrol car that was traveling the opposite direction.

OSP was called to investigate the crash that resulted in the death of four occupants and injuries to a child in the suspect vehicle, and serious injury to the Warm Springs police officer.

Preliminary investigation reveals the suspect vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control, slid sideways into the oncoming lane and collided with the eastbound Warm Springs police car.

Three adults and one child in the suspect vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene, and one other child was transported to Mt. View Hospital and later transferred by air to a Portland area children's hospital.

The Warm Springs police officer sustained multiple broken bones, and is in stable condition at Mt. View Hospital in Madras.

The names of the victims have not released pending notification of family members.

No further information is available at this time and the investigation continues.