News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Sheriff's Office investigates fatal early-morning car crash in Estacada

Posted: Feb. 1, 2009, 10:22 a.m.

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On Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009 at 12:02 a.m., a Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy responded to a single-vehicle crash in front of Estacada High School, located at 355 NE 6th Avenue in Estacada.

The one male patient involved in this crash was extracted from the vehicle and airlifted by a Reach Air Ambulance from the scene to a Corvallis hospital, where he later died.

At 12:02 a.m., rescue personnel representing the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Boring Fire, Estacada Fire and Clackamas Fire District #1 responded to the crash scene. They used the "jaws of life" to extract the seriously injured lone occupant, the male driver, from the wrecked vehicle -- registered to the driver and described as a silver two-door 2005 Hyundai sedan.

At the time, a blanket of extensive fog was covering the Portland Metro area, preventing the patient from being airlifted to a Portland hospital. A Reach Air Ambulance was dispatched to the crash scene from Corvallis, and the patient was flown directly to a Corvallis hospital.

The patient died in the hospital at approximately 2 a.m. as a result of significant injuries sustained in the crash.

The deceased driver is identified as David Roger Cox, 55, with a residential address provided on NE Main Street in Estacada.

An investigating deputy reports that the Cox's 2005 Hyundai was traveling northbound on NE Pierce Street, approaching the "T" intersection of NE Pierce and NE 6th Avenue in Estacada. This particular location is situated in front of Estacada High, where a small creek meanders through the property.

The deputy reports that the Hyundai continued directly through the intersection -- traveling an estimated 300 feet across an open field, where it was propelled some 40 feet into the air as it traveled over a small creek, landing nose first into the opposing creek embankment.

The driver of this vehicle was described as NOT wearing a seat belt at the time of this crash. Alcohol is NOT considered a factor in this investigation. NO additional vehicles or people were directly involved with this fatal traffic crash.

All notifications concerning the deceased have been appropriately completed.

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Contact Info: Jim Strovink, Detective
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Public Information Officer