Driver trapped, rescued, and charged with DUII

LEABURG: A Monday morning search in the dark for a missing motorist resulted in drunken driving charges for a Springfield man. According to Oregon State Police Trooper Evan Sether, a friend of the driver alerted the Lane County Sheriff’s office around 4 a.m. The caller advised the motorist had called him via a cell phone telling him he’d been an accident at an unknown location along Hwy. 126 near Leaburg and was trapped in his vehicle.

Police searching the area were unable to locate the accident scene until the 911-call center narrowed the possibilities to a point near Greenwood Drive, based on his cell phone signal. McKenzie Fire & Rescue personnel found the driver, Sterling Buxton, 19, of Springfield, in an overturned Honda Accord. The vehicle was in a ditch across from the western “T” intersection of Hwy. 126 and Greenwood Drive. Buxton was wearing a seatbelt and the Honda’s airbag deployed. He was treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Investigators report the incident occurred when Buxton failed to stop at the intersection and went off the 15 to 20 foot embankment along the highway shoulder. Alcohol, excessive speed and fog in the area could have been contributing factors for the accident.

Buxton was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Minor in Possession of Alcohol While Driving, and Failure to Obey a Stop Sign. Traffic was limited to one lane for approximately one hour during the investigation.

OSP was assisted at the scene by the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and McKenzie Fire & Rescue.

Image above: The driver of an eastbound Honda Accord was trapped in his vehicle for two hours on October 20 in an accident police say involved driving under the influence combined with fog in the area.