» Local accidents

Oregon State Police officers investigated two separate crashes in this area Sunday, both caused by drowsy teenage drivers.

The first crash, a single-vehicle rollover on U.S. Highway 101 near Dunes City, sent Craig K. Prater, 19, of Florence to the hospital.

It occurred about 9 a.m., when the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta Prater was driving was northbound near milepost 200. It left the road and onto the northbound shoulder, according to an Oregon State Police report. Prater reportedly tried to steer the car back to the roadway, but overcorrected.

 The Jetta crossed both lanes, hit a highway reflector, rolled down the southbound embankment and landed on the driver’s side. Prater was trapped inside and rescue workers from the Lower Umpqua Ambulance, Gardiner Fire Department and Reedsport Fire Department used extrication equipment to remove him from the wreck.

A Lower Umpqua Hospital spokeswoman said Prater was treated and released Sunday. Police said “fatigue/drowsiness” appears to have been a factor in the accident.

Prater was reportedly restrained by a safety belt, and was not cited for the wreck.

At 4:27 p.m., a state trooper, a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy and personnel from the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to a two-vehicle wreck on state Highway 38 near Wells Creek Road, about 1.5 miles east of Scottsburg.

Patrick Anthony Guillen, 17, of Sutherlin had been traveling east when he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, according to police reports. The 1994 extended cab Toyota Tacoma he was driving crossed the centerline and sideswiped a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe sport utility vehicle driven by Craig Darrell King, 60, of Coos Bay.

Leila Eileen King was a passenger in the Tahoe. Both Kings suffered minor injuries and declined transportation by ambulance to a hospital. Both drivers were reportedly restrained by safety belts.

The crash report noted that Guillen’s vehicle continued eastbound after hitting the King vehicle, left the roadway to the westbound shoulder, traveled down an embankment and struck a culvert. Guillen was reportedly uninjured, but was cited for failing to maintain a single lane of travel.

Both vehicles were totaled and towed from the scene. Travel on Highway 38 was limited to a single lane for approximately one hour while officers investigated and the vehicles were prepared for towing, the OSP reported.