Police Say Sleeping at the Wheel Caused 6 Hour Traffic Delay on Coast

Fatigue Contributing Factor in Minor Injury Crash into Power Pole - Highway 101 north of Lincoln City‏

Photo courtesy: Oregon State Police

(LINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - Oregonians streaming into Lincoln City for a Friday night getaway saw traffic grind to a halt from a pair of crashes that completely blocked Highway 101 at the entrance to this coastal city. All traffic was diverted south onto East Devils Lake Road which passes around the lake and into Lincoln City.

State Police say the problems began Friday afternoon when the driver of a vehicle fell asleep and drifted off Highway 101 just north of town, crashing into a power pole and subsequently closing the highway for over six hours. Two people received minor injuries in the crash.

Darrel Van Hoose with OSP says it happened around 3:15 PM, as a rented 2008 Ford Edge driven by 51-year old Danford Sinclair of Hawaii, was southbound on Highway 101 near milepost 112. Van Hoose says Mr. Sinclair's vehicle crashed because he fell asleep.

"The vehicle drifted off the highway and struck a milepost sign, speed zone sign, and into a power pole resulting downed power lines."

Danford Sinclair and 59-year old Larraine Sinclair, a passenger in the vehicle, were transported to North Lincoln Samaritan Hospital in Lincoln City for treatment of minor injuries. Van Hoose says it is not clear whether they were wearing seat belts. Highway 101 was closed about six and a half hours at the scene for power crews to repair damage. A local man in Neotsu, Oregon told Salem-News that a large truck enroute to assist with damage caused by the 3:15 PM crash, made contact with more power poles in the area at Neotsu Drive and Highway 101. All power in Neotsu was knocked out while crews made repairs.

ODOT and local emergency responding agencies assisted at the scene. No enforcement action information was available at the time this article was published.