News release from the Lincoln Co. Sheriff’s Office. On June 22, 2014 at approximately 3:50 PM, Deputies from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a crash in the Klickitat Lake area 8 miles south of Harlan. It was reported the crash was in a remote canyon, that there were two people in the vehicle, that a male victim had a broken collar bone and the other person was in ‘bad condition.’ As Lincoln County Deputies responded they requested that Benton County Deputies, who were also responding, continue their response as the crash was in as area close to the border of Benton and Lincoln Counties. A medical Reach Helicopter was placed on standby as was the Lincoln County High Angle Rescue Team. Corvallis and Philomath Fire and Rescue personnel responded with an ambulance and a ‘rope rescue’ team as the caller stated that the vehicle had crashed a couple hundred feet down into a canyon. Pacific West Ambulance from Lincoln County responded to the scene due to the report of two persons injured in the crash. Oregon National Guard was contacted and put on standby for possible assistance with one of their helicopters with hoist capabilities in the event the victims needed to be hoisted out by air. Lincoln County Forest Deputy, Gary Davey, was first to arrive on scene and soon determined there was only one person at the crash site in the canyon, Craig Marion Dixon, 43, of Alsea, OR. Dixon’s injuries were non-life threatening, but severe enough to require extrication via a rope rescue system set up by Corvallis and Philomath Fire and Rescue personnel. After Dixon was hoisted out of the canyon to the road, he was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis by Pacific West Ambulance. Forest Deputy Davey learned through his investigation that Dixon had actually crashed into the canyon at an undetermined time the night before, and Dixon did not own the vehicle he’d crashed. The investigation also revealed that at time of the crash, Dixon did not have valid driving privileges nor permission to have the vehicle he’d crashed. The investigation is ongoing for possible criminal charges against Dixon. Lincoln County expresses their thanks for all the other agencies and personnel who responded and helped out.
