1000 Line Fatal, June 17

On June 15, 2019 at about 0251 hours Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies, the Toledo Fire Department, and Pacific West Ambulance responded to a report of an injury traffic crash at about MP 1.5 on 1000 Line Road, Toledo.  1000 Line Road is a gravel mountainous roadway leading from the Toledo area into the forested coastal range.  Initial responders located the caller who was also a passenger from the vehicle, Brendon Thomas age 22 of Toledo, on the roadway.  They located the vehicle, a white Ford F350 Bearing OR plate 241 JQR, resting on it’s roof approximately 300 feet down a steep hillside.  Deputies were able to climb through debris and down the hillside to the vehicle where they located, Nikolas Yost, age 25 of Toledo, partially ejected from the vehicle and deceased. Deputies checked the area for the subject reported to be the driver and located him in the brush along the roadway a short distance from where the vehicle left the roadway. He was challenged by deputies and Lincoln County K-9 and was immediately detained without incident.  Robert Bauman, age 30 of Toledo, exhibited signs of impairment and was taken into custody. Both Bauman and Thomas were transported to Newport Pacific Communities Hospital where they received treatment for injuries.  Thomas suffered serious injury, but was later released and Bauman was medically cleared and then transported to the Lincoln County Jail. The Major Crash Team (MACT) was activated and MACT members from the Lincoln County DA’s Office, Newport Police Department, Toledo Police Department, and additional members of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Drone Unit.  Initial investigation determined the vehicle was being operated unsafely by Bauman eastbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and the vehicle tumbled down the hillside.  It was also determined that neither Yost nor Thomas were willing passengers. The Rope High Angle Rescue Team responded to assist with the recovery and multiple tow vehicles were required to recover the vehicle due to the terrain. Bauman was charged with two counts of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, DUII, Reckless Driving, two counts of Reckless Endangering, Felony Failure to Perform the Duties of Injured Persons, Felony Assault in the Third Degree, and Manslaughter in the First Degree with a total bail amount of $560,000.00. MACT will be utilizing Lincoln County collision Reconstructionists to continuing the investigation.