Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
A pickup crashed and rolled over in the hills above Foster Lake Monday afternoon, killing a 10-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man and injuring four other persons.
Katelynn Dugan, 10, and Brian James Gilbert, 21, died at the scene of the wreck. Patrick Leroy Duaine Dugan, 34; Leslie Ann Dugan, 26; Aaron Dugan, 5; and Lillian Ann Gilbert, 19, were transported to area hospitals. All are from Sweet Home.
At approximately 2:50 p.m., Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a single-vehicle rollover somewhere in the area of Sunnyside Road above Foster Reservoir.
The caller, one of the passengers in the vehicle, was unsure of the exact location of the crash, Sheriff Tim Mueller said. Dispatchers were able to locate the general area of the call by using the Global Positioning System to track the cell phone and locate the general area of the call.
Emergency services personnel responded from Sweet Home and Lebanon fire departments.
The only vehicle involved was a 1993 Chevrolet four-wheel drive pickup, which was driven by Patrick Dugan.
He was driving down the Green Peter 300 Line, which is a spur off Sunnyside Road, Mueller said, and he lost control while navigating a sharp curve on the gravel road.
The pickup rolled over, ejecting four occupants from the bed of the pickup.
Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash, Mueller said.
Patrick Dugan was transported to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital with a possible broken back and other non-life-threatening injuries. His wife, Leslie Ann Dugan, 26, was riding in the cab of the pickup. She was transported to Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis with minor injuries.
The occupants riding in the open bed were the Dugan children, Katelynn and Aaron, and two adult friends, Brian and Lillian Gilbert, brother and sister.
Aaron Dugan went with his mother for evaluation at Samaritan Regional Medical Center.
Leslie Gilbert was transported to Albany General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel transported both of the deceased victims from the scene pending further arrangements.
Gayle Davis, who said she is close to the family, was headed for Eugene Monday night where Patrick Dugan was to undergo emergency back surgery.
Leslie Dugan had some head and facial injuries, Davis said, and she was treated and released.
Aaron Dugan is fine, Davis said. He was “eating candy and talking about going to the races with his Pops.”
Lillian Gilbert remained at Albany General Hospital, Davis said. She had a broken pelvis and another injury, but she was conscious. Davis planned to visit her in the hospital on Tuesday.
Davis said she was especially close to Katelynn Dugan.
“Kate was like my baby,” Davis said. “She stayed with me and the girls a lot.”
A fourth-grader, she attended Hawthorne Elementary School last year, Davis said, and Foster Elementary through the third grade. She turned 10 in March.
“They loved to go four-wheeling and playing in the dust,” Davis said, and that’s what they were doing up in the hills.
Davis said the family and friends of the victims are urging people not to let children and loved ones ride in the back of pickups.
“Let our community learn from this horrible accident,” she said.