On June 5, 2016 at about 9PM, OSP Troopers and emergency personnel responded to the report of a head-on crash involving a passenger vehicle and semi-truck on Highway 20 near milepost 156 (east of Burns). Preliminary investigation revealed a 2015 Freightliner towing a flatbed trailer was traveling westbound on Highway 20 when it attempted to pass a slower moving motorhome in a no passing area (double yellow line). While in the eastbound lane of travel, it encountered an oncoming 2005 Ford Focus. The driver of the focus swerved her vehicle towards the ditch to avoid striking the truck head-on. At the same time, the driver of the truck swerved towards the ditch. The vehicles collided head-on near the fogline of the highway. The driver of the Ford, Sara E ALLISON, age 30, of Boise was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. A passenger in the vehicle, Matthew T ALLISON, age 27, also of Boise, was taken by air ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland for life threatening injuries. The driver of the Freightliner, James W DECOU, age 32, of Roy, Utah, was transported to Harney County Hospital where he was treated and released for minor injuries. Highway 20 was closed for several hours for investigation of the crash.
