Fatal crash of couple on Oregon coast was reported by a witness.
(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Oregon State Police said today that the crashed car discovered Sunday containing the remains of a California Priest and his traveling companion, was reported as a vehicle going straight "off the road" by a 911 caller when it first happened on June 8th.
June 8th is the day that 52-year old David Schwartz and 61-year old Cheryl Gibbs were last believed to be in the Portland area. Their disappearance has been the subject of an intense search.
They were found by Civil Air Patrol crews July 1st deceased in their vehicle off Highway 26 in rural Tillamook County, on the Oregon coast.
Oregon State Police Spokesman Lt. Greg Hastings, says investigators have learned that a call was made June 8th at approximately 4:15 PM to Washington County emergency dispatch from a citizen, "advising of an eastbound red compact car that had gone off the north side of Highway 26 about 1/4 mile west of milepost 26."
The caller further stated that the car drove straight off the road and into the brush. Hastings said the called advised that the car was not visible from the road.
"They said that it was unknown if anyone was hurt."
He says that after making calls to start medical response, a Washington County emergency dispatcher called OSP Northern Command Center dispatch at approximately 4:20 PM and asked if OSP had received a call of a traffic crash on Highway 26 at milepost 26.
Hastings says OSP dispatch replied that they had not received a call.
"The Washington County dispatcher advised they were starting medical response and the information indicated a compact red car was eastbound when it went off the roadway and was no longer visible."
Preliminary investigation indicates that an OSP trooper from the Astoria Area Command office was patrolling near milepost 13 and immediately responded to the area with emergency lights and siren activated.
"Upon arriving near milepost 25, the trooper slowed down and checked both sides of the highway east to milepost 27, turned and made two more passes through the two mile stretch. The area check included driving slowly on the shoulder to look for signs of a vehicle that may have gone off the road and stopping to get out checking a couple locations east of milepost 26."
Hastings says members of the Elsie Vine-Maple Fire Department also responded to the area, checking both sides between milepost 25 and 27.
"They reportedly stopped and checked one of the areas the trooper had got out to check because of tire marks in the gravel on the highway shoulder."
Hastings says there was no vehicle in sight at that location which turned out to be about 1/2 mile east of the location where the vehicle was found Sunday.
Two OSP Fish & Wildlife Lieutenants returning from a training assignment in Astoria were also driving through the area and overheard the call, according to Hastings.
"One Lieutenant was near milepost 26 and looked for any obvious signs eastbound. A trooper from the Banks work site also responded west from Manning and checked toward the general area."
In the end, no sign of a crashed vehicle was found on June 8th.
OSP is continuing the crash investigation including review of dispatch communications and interviewing officers and emergency personnel involved in the response to learn the facts related to this investigation.
As of Monday afternoon, investigators have not been able to re-contact the man who made the initial report on June 8th and did not return to the crash area after making the report.
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