On Saturday, September 09, 2017, at 10:16 am, the Douglas County 9-1-1 center received a call from a local elk hunter reporting he had located the missing persons and their 2005 PT Cruiser. Melvin and Alice Hawkins were given a ride by the citizen to meet with an ambulance. The caller stated Sharon Buchanan died prior to him locating the vehicle. The Hawkins were transported to Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg for evaluation, though they were reported to be in good condition when transferred to the ambulance. Deputies were directed to the location of the vehicle by the citizen. Arrangements were made to retrieve the vehicle, which was high centered on a remote forest road off of Upper Cow Creek Road. The Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office and Ms. Buchanan’s family have been notified. The Hawkins and Ms. Buchanan had gone for a drive on Friday, September 01, 2017, after 3:00 pm. They were reported as missing to the Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, September 03, 2017 at 9:00 pm. Since that time, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Division as well as citizens have been combing the area in attempts to locate them. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue division also provided resources at the request of Douglas County.
