From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: January 25, 2007

Summary:

On January 21, 2007 at about 12:13am, Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Gulbranson attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Chevrolet pickup at the Hilltop Market in Waldport. The driver accelerated and turned onto private property where he came to a stop and fled the vehicle on foot. Deputy Gulbranson, with the assistance of Deputy Chris Miller, searched the area for the driver. Deputy Miller located the driver lying on the beach below the area where he had stopped his vehicle. Deputies were able to determine the driver had fallen off a cliff onto the beach while fleeing from the traffic stop location. The driver, later identified as Dustin Oliver Jones, age 22 of Juneau, Alaska, sustained serious injuries from the fall.

Deputies Gulbranson and Miller encountered dangerous conditions due to a rapidly incoming tide that reached their location on the beach before medical personnel were able to arrive on scene. The deputies assisted Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue in extracting Jones from the beach. Jones was then transported to Samaritan Pacific Communites Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

While at the hospital, Deputy Gulbranson conducted a DUII investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, Deputy Gulbranson cited and released Jones at the hospital for Driving under the influence of intoxicants. The incident is still under investigation by the sheriff's office. Additional charges of Attempt to elude in a vehicle, Attempt to elude on foot and Criminal mischief II will be submitted to the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office regarding this case.

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