Updated Press Release
Incident: Fatal motor vehicle crash
Case Number: 2021-000001589
Date and Time: Saturday, January 9th, 2021 at about 7:13 PM PST
Location: Southbound Highway 97/Parkway south of NE Hawthorne Avenue
Semi-Truck Driver: William McCain, 56-year old Male, Alaska resident
Involved Vehicle: 2017 Volvo truck
Pedestrian: Marlow White, 42-year old Male, Bend resident ***Deceased*** Next-of-Kin has been notified
On 01-09-2021 about 7:13 PM PST Deschutes County 9-1-1 dispatch received multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding a motor vehicle crash that occurred on southbound Highway 97 “The Parkway” just south of NE Hawthorne Avenue. Callers reported a Semi-Tractor Trailer had collided with a pedestrian.
Officers from the Bend Police Department arrived and provided medical aid to the pedestrian who was unconscious. Bend Fire and Rescue paramedics arrived and transported the pedestrian who succumbed to his injuries at St Charles Medical Center in Bend during treatment. The pedestrian was positively identified as 42-year old Bend resident Marlow White.
The driver of the Semi-Truck, identified as 56-year old William McCain, remained on scene and was cooperating with investigators. There is no indication that alcohol or other substances were a factor in this collision.
According to several subjects interviewed at the scene, White was seen attempting to run eastbound across Highway 97, starting from the west side of the roadway. McCain saw this and applied the brakes and turned into the adjacent southbound lane to attempt to avoid the collision, but the 2017 Volvo truck he was driving struck White. White was not in a crosswalk or pedestrian crossing area of the roadway at the time of the collision.
Southbound Highway 97 is now fully re-opened.
The Bend Police Department was assisted with traffic control and road closures by the Oregon Department of Transportation Incident Response Team and the City of Bend Public Works Division. The investigation was aided by the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office and the Deschutes County Medical Examiner’s Office.
END OF RELEASE
Prepared by Sgt. Tommy Russell
