Man Missing After Vehicle Goes Into Yaquina River East of Newport

Tire tracks going into the Yaquina River showwhere the vehicle left Hwy 20. Photo Courtesy: OSP

(Newport) - One person is believed to be missing Wednesday after a vehicle was seen driving off Highway 20 about 18 miles east of Newport into the Yaquina River. Witnesses saw a man in the vehicle as it drifted out of sight westbound in the high, fast current. A search of the area by state and county police, local emergency responders, and the U.S. Coast Guard was unsuccessful and has been called off.

On Wednesday at 11:14 AM, Oregon State Police, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Toledo Fire & Rescue, and East Lincoln County Quick Response Team responded to a report of a vehicle that had gone into the Yaquina River off Highway 20 near milepost 17.5.

Upon arrival, emergency responders immediately called for air support assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard who sent two helicopters to the area. Troopers, deputies and fire personnel, assisted by Lincoln County Sheriff's Marine deputies in a drift boat and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, searched the river and riverbanks for nearly two hours without locating a vehicle or person who had been observed with the vehicle when it went into the water.

Preliminary investigation indicates that at about 11:00 AM, a woman and her teenage daughter were driving eastbound behind a dark green unknown make or model vehicle on Highway 20 near milepost 17.5 when the vehicle reportedly lost control, spun around and went off the highway into the Yaquina River. The woman got out of her vehicle and ran westbound along the highway as the vehicle floated downstream with the man inside.

The witness, helped by a truck driver who had also stopped to assist, said they yelled at the man to get out but they lost sight as the fast current swept the vehicle westbound. The witness further stated that an elderly couple driving in the area told her that they saw a man outside of the vehicle yelling for help as it continued to drift westbound.

The missing person was described as a Caucasian or Hispanic male, 20 to 30 years of age, "clean cut" dark hair, and was wearing glasses.

Anyone with information regarding an overdue motorist who was traveling in the area is asked to contact Oregon State Police dispatch center at 1-800-452-7888.