Document text
Wake of destruction follows Medford wrecks Stevens Thursday Jan 25, 2018 at 4:38 PM Jan 25, 2018 at 4:49 PM Nick Morgan Mail Tribune @mtcrimebeat A pair of Medford vehicle crashes allegedly involving alcohol and high speeds ended early Thursday with one driver in the hospital, one in jail and plenty of property damage. Hours after one driver was extricated from his burning car after hitting a power pole Wednesday night, a woman attempting to flee from police wreaked havoc at Northgate Center before striking an SUV in downtown Medford, according to Medford police Lt. Kerry Curtis. "Both outcomes are positive in the sense that it didn't turn tragic," Curtis said. Kerrina Jo Stevens, 43, was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on felony assault and elude charges after she allegedly struck another vehicle while driving recklessly after police spiked her tires early Thursday morning. At about 2:47 a.m., police witnessed Stevens driving a 2016 Honda CR-V at about 70 mph northbound on Riverside Avenue, according to Curtis. Stevens allegedly drove in circles around the roundabout near Northgate Center, prompting police to deploy spike strips, which took out both driver-side tires. With two tires flat, Stevens drove over landscaping at the shopping center to get onto Highway 238. She ultimately turned onto Court Street and headed southbound toward downtown Medford. She ran a red light at the corner of Central Avenue and Fourth Street and hit a 2007 Toyota Highlander SUV. The vehicle was severely damaged but the driver suffered only minor injury. Stevens was transported to a Medford hospital, where she was treated and released to police. Earlier in the night, 20-year-old Andres Laris was rushed to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center with a skull fracture following a wreck on Crater Lake Avenue near Brookhurst. Laris had been traveling southbound on Crater Lake Avenue in his 2005 Nissan Altima sedan when he veered off the roadway at 9:25 p.m. Wednesday, splintering the power pole and causing power line problems as well as a vehicle fire from the engine bay. After putting out the engine fire, Medford Fire-Rescue cut open Laris' car and extricated him from the vehicle. He was then rushed to the hospital. He was conscious at the scene, police said. Police believe alcohol was a factor in the crash, Curtis said. Medford police arrested Laris for driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and criminal mischief. — Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.