On 04/03/2023 shortly prior to 8:00am the Lane County Sheriff’s Office responded to Ken Nielsen Rd. near the W. 11th Ave. intersection after receiving information that a backhoe had been abandoned there. Deputies arrived and learned that the backhoe belonged to Wildish and had been stolen overnight from a jobsite near the intersection of Roosevelt Blvd. and Beltline Rd. The backhoe was badly stuck in the mud and it appeared that the thief tried to use the rear arm to pull on nearby railroad tracks in an effort to get unstuck. A very large tow truck was required to get the backhoe out of the mud. Port of Coos Bay Railroad also had to dispatch a track inspector to ensure that the rail line had not been compromised and was still safe for rail operations. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.
