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Two die in wreck near Sisters

Two Bend residents died in a single-vehicle accident near Black Butte Ranch on Saturday, March 16.

According to Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reports, Sebulah Ariminita Houchens, 48, and Ronald Anthony Garcia, 32, were killed when Houchens' eastbound Subaru Grand Vitara slid on ice and left the roadway, rolled onto the drivers' side and smashed into a tree with the windshield.

Both victims died at the scene.

A driver who was at the scene described the wreck as "a pretty scary ordeal."

According to the driver, the road appeared to be clear and he took his vehicle out of four-wheel-drive and into two-wheel high because it appeared the driver was on "wet" pavement.

The driver said he nearly lost control of his vehicle on black ice going 60 miles per hour.

He was able to switch back to four-wheel-drive, regain control and slow down.

Fortunately for the driver, he was on a flat surface when he hit the ice.

According to the driver, the couple that slid off the road were on a curved incline.

The driver said he was "pretty sure" the driver in the wreck died instantly.

The passenger may have died a minute or two after they went off the road.

Both victims were wearing seatbelts.

According to the sheriff's log, a dog was in the vehicle and apparently ran off from the scene of the accident.

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