BBR employee killed in auto accident

A 23-year-old employee of Black Butte Ranch (BBR) was killed Saturday night, August 12, in a single-car accident on O.B. Riley Road in the Tumalo area.

The accident occurred about 8:30 p.m. and claimed the life of Christopher Russell Anderson. Anderson worked in the golf division of BBR and was well respected by all who knew him.

His father and sister also work at BBR in the golf division.

Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene following a 9-1-1 call from a nearby resident who heard the crash. A second caller arrived on the scene shortly after the accident and reported that the driver and sole occupant of the 1997 A4 Audi Quatro was unconscious and trapped inside the car.

Sheriff's deputies, Oregon State Troopers and medics with the Bend Fire Department all responded. Anderson was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Anderson was wearing a seatbelt.

According to Acting Watch Commander Mike Biondi with the sheriff's office, preliminary investigation suggests that Anderson was eastbound on O.B. Riley Road, negotiating a sweeping left-hand corner. The vehicle had crossed the median line into the on-coming lane when the driver lost control, evidenced by skid marks crossing the centerline of O.B. Riley Road.

The vehicle slid across the westbound lane onto the shoulder and turned clockwise as it slid. The vehicle left the roadway and the driver-side struck two steel posts, flipping the Audi where it came to rest upside down. While speed appears to be a factor, Biondi stated that the cause of the accident is still under investigation.