OSP Trooper Injured From 50 Foot Cliff Fall

With assistance, the trooper crawled half a mile to reach a point of evacuation.

Photo of OSP Sergeant Gordon Larson with Senior Trooper Johnson's wife and son watching Air Life prepare for takeoff from Blue Mountain Hospital. Photograph Source: Oregon State Police

(BEND, Ore.) - An Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife trooper is resting comfortably in a Bend hospital after surviving a 50-foot fall down a cliff Tuesday morning while helping ODFW conduct a big horn sheep census in Grant County.

OSP Lt. Gregg Hastings says this morning at approximately 8:00 AM, OSP Senior Trooper Larry Johnson was with two ODFW employees conducting an annual big horn sheep census near Aldrich Mountain in a remote section of Grant County south of Dayville.

"As Senior Trooper Johnson was moving along the edge of a cliff he momentarily grabbed a tree when the tree and footing gave way. Senior Trooper Johnson fell approximately 50 feet vertically down the cliff, suffering a lower right leg injury."

The ODFW employees were able to get down to the injured trooper according to Hastings, and with their assistance he crawled about 1/2 mile to where they left an ATV used early that morning to bring them into the area.

"They transported him about ten miles across rugged country to a pickup and drove nearly 25 miles to Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day."

After an initial examination by doctors, Senior Trooper Johnson was transported by Air Life air ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center for continued medical evaluation and treatment. Hastings says he is in stable condition.

Senior Trooper Johnson, age 38, is a 14 1/2 year OSP veteran assigned to the OSP Fish & Wildlife Division. He has worked out of the OSP John Day work site since April 2001.