Baker FFA students recovering after bus hit by suspected DUII driver in Redmond

BAKER CITY – Four students from the Baker Future Farmers of America (FFA) program are recovering after they were injured after their bus was hit by a suspected drunk driver in Redmond.

The Baker FFA program was heading back from a competition on Friday, March 22 in Deschutes County when a woman ran a stop sign and her SUV hit the side of a bus carrying 14 FFA students. Four were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. 

Oregon State Troopers and other first responders were dispatched around 9:25 p.m. to the reported two-vehicle crash on Highway 126 (Highland Avenue) near the intersection SW with Helmholtz Way involving a 2019 Subaru Ascent and a westbound school bus that was sent crashing off the eastbound shoulder of the highway, down into a ditch.

A Culver woman, identified as 34-year-old Katrina Dacus, was arrested on charges of DUII, reckless driving, 15 counts of reckless endangering and three counts of fourth-degree assault, OSP said.

The students were competing in the Oregon FFAโ€™s annual convention at the Deschutes Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Baker School District 5J Public Information and Communications Coordinator Lindsey Bennington McDowell said.

The Baker students had been recognized with a โ€œSuperior Chapterโ€ award earlier Friday, before the crash, she noted.

Baker School Superintendent Erin Lair said: “We are so very grateful for fantastic first responders, caring and skilled staff, and parents helping our kids. Buses really do a spectacular job keeping students safe when collisions happen. We will get our students home and celebrate their incredible showing in the competition.

“Thereโ€™s just absolutely no excuse for driving drunk,” Lair added.

“We have some amazing staff and parents helping impacted students,” McDowell said.  “I’m told we’re very fortunate there were no fatalities.