Stolen Vehicle Found Burning, Sept. 6

On Thursday, 09-05-2019, at about 1:37 AM, the Lincoln City Police and North Lincoln Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the Holmes Road Park on a report of a vehicle on fire at that location. One of the initial complainants reported hearing an explosion just before seeing a car on fire. Upon arriving at the park, Lincoln City Police officers found an SUV type vehicle on fire and over the embankment near the water line of Devils Lake. No one was seen in the area and the vehicle appeared unoccupied. North Lincoln Fire & Rescue arrived on scene and quickly began fire suppression efforts on the vehicle as well as on the embankment foliage as it had also caught fire. North Lincoln Fire & Rescue personnel were able to quickly extinguish the vehicle and embankment fire and it was determined there was no one in the vehicle. Because the front of the vehicle had become submerged in the lake during the fire suppression efforts, the Oregon Environmental Response System was activated due to possible hazardous substances that may have leached into the lake. Once the SUV was pulled up from the embankment later in the morning, investigators were able to determine it was a 2019 Toyota 4runner that was reported stolen out of the Salem area. The vehicle was towed from the scene by Car Care Tow Pro.  The investigation into the suspicious circumstances and fire involved with this incident is continuing. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective James Burke at the Lincoln City Police Department, 541-994-3636.