From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: December 17, 2007

Summary:

On December 16, 2007 at about 8:30PM the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office received a report of a vehicle that had gone over the embankment near MP 6 of Schooner Creek Road, Otis Oregon. The driver of the car, 17 year old Otis resident Maxwell Johnson, had left the scene and had called via cell phone to his mother that he was in a wreck and was climbing his way out. No cell phone coverage was available in the location of the crash. Deputies arrived at scene and found a white small car on its top in the creek and the driver was not in the immediate area. Deputies along with family members searched the area for Johnson in the dark with no luck. Sgt Bob Jozwiak activated search and rescue for a search to start at first light.

At about 0800AM Deputy Bruce McGuire along with Lincoln County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue and with members of the Lincoln County Sheriffs Posse searched the immediate area around where the car had crashed. No sign of the driver could be found. Around 1120AM, Family members and searchers heard some yelling and located Johnson coming out of the trees uphill opposite of where he crashed. Johnson was wet and cold with a few scratches, but otherwise in good condition. Johnson was brought to the command post location and warmed up and was released to his mother. Johnson stated that he swerved to miss a deer and overcorrected leaving the roadway and crashing in the creek.

Lincoln County Mounted Posse Search
and Rescue Command Post at the scene

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