Teen Driver Cited After Crash Into Parked Truck Downtown Baker City

A 16 year old girl was cited for three counts of recklessly endangering another person after the car she was driving sideswiped a parked pickup truck on Main Street in downtown Baker City on Friday night, police reported. The driver and the three passengers, girls ages 14, 15 and 16, were also cited for minor in possession of alcohol. None of the four was seriously injured.

Baker City Police Chief Ty Duby said the crash was reported at 7 51 p.m. in the 2200 block of Main Street near Church Street. The teenage driver was heading north when her 2007 Saturn Aurora four door sedan veered out of the lane and collided with a parked 2020 Dodge pickup truck that was unoccupied. Both vehicles were heavily damaged.

Chief Duby said Sgt. Josh Chandler investigated the scene and concluded there was not sufficient evidence to charge the driver with driving under the influence of intoxicants. Duby said he did not smell alcohol on the driver and she did not act impaired. Greg Baxter, Baker County district attorney, explained the legal threshold for a DUII charge, saying, "Either evidence of impairment, or a blood alcohol level of at least 0.08, is a requirement for a DUII charge." Duby added that nothing in the police report indicates the speed was "excessive."

Investigators found some alcohol had been hidden after the crash, Duby said, and at least one of the teens apparently tried to conceal it. Police later discovered alcohol behind a nearby building. The driver was taken by a private car to Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City for examination that evening. Because officers lacked evidence of impairment they could not require a blood alcohol test at the scene.

For Baker City residents the crash serves as a reminder of the risks posed by underage drinking and by teens driving in the downtown corridor where parked vehicles and pedestrian activity are common. The citations for recklessly endangering and minor in possession underscore potential legal consequences for juveniles involved in similar incidents. Local families and business owners are left to weigh immediate safety concerns and longer term prevention efforts as the county moves forward.