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Jul-02-2007 19:08printcomments

Police Initially Missed Crashed Car With Bodies of California Travelers

Fatal crash of couple on Oregon coast was reported by a witness.

David Schwartz and Cheryl Gibbs and the car they were driving when they died tragically June 8th
David Schwartz and Cheryl Gibbs and the car they were driving when they died tragically June 8th
Photos: Oregon State Police

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Oregon State Police said today that the crashed car discovered Sunday containing the remains of a California Priest and his traveling companion, was reported as a vehicle going straight "off the road" by a 911 caller when it first happened on June 8th.

June 8th is the day that 52-year old David Schwartz and 61-year old Cheryl Gibbs were last believed to be in the Portland area. Their disappearance has been the subject of an intense search.

They were found by Civil Air Patrol crews July 1st deceased in their vehicle off Highway 26 in rural Tillamook County, on the Oregon coast.

Oregon State Police Spokesman Lt. Greg Hastings, says investigators have learned that a call was made June 8th at approximately 4:15 PM to Washington County emergency dispatch from a citizen, "advising of an eastbound red compact car that had gone off the north side of Highway 26 about 1/4 mile west of milepost 26."

The caller further stated that the car drove straight off the road and into the brush. Hastings said the called advised that the car was not visible from the road.

"They said that it was unknown if anyone was hurt."

He says that after making calls to start medical response, a Washington County emergency dispatcher called OSP Northern Command Center dispatch at approximately 4:20 PM and asked if OSP had received a call of a traffic crash on Highway 26 at milepost 26.

Hastings says OSP dispatch replied that they had not received a call.

"The Washington County dispatcher advised they were starting medical response and the information indicated a compact red car was eastbound when it went off the roadway and was no longer visible."

Preliminary investigation indicates that an OSP trooper from the Astoria Area Command office was patrolling near milepost 13 and immediately responded to the area with emergency lights and siren activated.

"Upon arriving near milepost 25, the trooper slowed down and checked both sides of the highway east to milepost 27, turned and made two more passes through the two mile stretch. The area check included driving slowly on the shoulder to look for signs of a vehicle that may have gone off the road and stopping to get out checking a couple locations east of milepost 26."

Hastings says members of the Elsie Vine-Maple Fire Department also responded to the area, checking both sides between milepost 25 and 27.

"They reportedly stopped and checked one of the areas the trooper had got out to check because of tire marks in the gravel on the highway shoulder."

Hastings says there was no vehicle in sight at that location which turned out to be about 1/2 mile east of the location where the vehicle was found Sunday.

Two OSP Fish & Wildlife Lieutenants returning from a training assignment in Astoria were also driving through the area and overheard the call, according to Hastings.

"One Lieutenant was near milepost 26 and looked for any obvious signs eastbound. A trooper from the Banks work site also responded west from Manning and checked toward the general area."

In the end, no sign of a crashed vehicle was found on June 8th.

OSP is continuing the crash investigation including review of dispatch communications and interviewing officers and emergency personnel involved in the response to learn the facts related to this investigation.

As of Monday afternoon, investigators have not been able to re-contact the man who made the initial report on June 8th and did not return to the crash area after making the report.




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Press release update July 3, 2007 7:08 pm (Pacific time)

News Release from: Oregon State Police

UPDATE - DOUBLE FATAL CRASH INVESTIGATION INVOLVING MISSING CALIFORNIA TRAVELERS

Posted: July 3rd, 2007 6:27 PM

On Tuesday evening, July 3rd, a female who reportedly owns the cell phone with the number provided by "Doug Selby" contacted Oregon State Police (OSP). During an interview, she informed OSP that she has owned the phone four years and does not know anyone named "Doug Selby". She further asked that all media discontinue calls to her number.

Investigators had left several messages requesting contact to receive a statement without any returned calls.

OSP investigators continue to encourage "Doug Selby" to contact OSP and provide a detailed statement related to the June 8th reported crash.

### www.oregon.gov/OSP ###


Sue July 3, 2007 5:48 pm (Pacific time)

Jean: FYI In the Oregon Statutes ORS 811.715 requires someone who has witnessed an accident to perform certain duties. I would also add that if that was the only call the emergency personnel had in a week, then yes, they should have put two and two together. I think this is a horrible tragedy. I don't think that for a minute responders didn't try their best. We don't have all the information. They could have had to take their limited resources to another emergency. They are underfunded, you know. Of course we will never know what the outcome would have been if the victims had their seat belts on. May they rest in peace.


Jean July 3, 2007 9:37 am (Pacific time)

The witness should have been there at the scene and available to authorities, and they should also have had his contact numbers so that they could interview him as needed and determine if the report was a hoax or a credible one. This report was very detailed, credible sounding, and said the car could not be seen from the road so that should have been expected that in their search. KOIN tv said that in Oregon one is NOT currently required to stay at the scene if one reports the accident so that could and should be changed (if true). This motorist witness understandably left to reach the nearest phone to call for help, but he could (and should) have been asked to return to help emergency personnel locate the car, especially since he had said it could not be seen from the road. And yes, with a credible report like this, authorities should have kept looking unless they determined the report seemed off by contacting the witness and establishing that. It's hard to believe that hearing a week later that tourists went missing in a red car no one thought of this, and it seems unresolved 911 cars should be logged/stored somewhere for authorites to access in regard to missing persons and unresolved crimes.


Sue July 3, 2007 7:38 am (Pacific time)

Witnesses ARE required to stop and assist at an accident. And how long should the emergency personnel search? What if it was a hoax? There was no sign of a car going off the road according to reports.


Jean July 2, 2007 11:42 pm (Pacific time)

Motorists who see such accidents should be required by law to stay at the site to direct emergency responders. 911 operators should have caller ID to get the phone numbers of those who report wrecks so that they can be contacted and directed to return. Emergency personnel should be required to keep searching, using planes if necessary, unless they have established that a report is likely false. So many critical errors that should have been avoided were made here. All of us are in danger driving to the coast and on other Oregon highways if we don't learn from this tragedy and put proper safeguards in place.

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