On March 18, 2017 at approximately 7:30am, OSP was dispatched to a fatal crash involving two vehicles. This incident occurred west of city limits of Mitchell and just east of the city limits of Prineville. Preliminary investigation revealed a black 2013 Dodge Ram, occupied by three, was traveling eastbound of US 26 near milepost 55 at approximately 50mph, when the driver veered off the roadway and struck a rock wall. The driver, identified as Scotty M. Ledford, age 31 from Prineville was pronounced deceased at the scene. The impact caused the 2013 Dodge Ram to cross the highway into the westbound lane of travel and then into a ditch. The vehicle was struck by a westbound blue 1995 Dodge pickup, driven by Kimberly Banta (male) age 55 from Sweet Home. The 2013 Dodge Ram was also occupied by surviving front passenger, Angelica M. Luna, age 27 and a juvenile passenger who were transported by air ambulance to St. Charles Hospital in Bend for non-life threatening injuries. The passenger of the 1995 Dodge pickup, Jared Banta, age 42 of Sweet Home and Kimberly were not injured.
