An unidentified driver in Tillamook County, Oregon, failed to heed road signs warning of a closure due to a hole that a landslide had ripped into the road. Not only did the driver shrug off the warning, but they actually removed the barrier and large sign that read “Road Closed,” as the Sacramento Bee reports. Whether through illiteracy or defiance, they ended up driving straight into the massive hole, flipping the car over and causing it to catch fire, according to the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Department.
The landslide that led to the road closure happened in December of 2023. The section of Sandlake Road between Tierra Del Mar and Pacific City had been out of commission since then, and road users in Tillamook County were instructed to use Highway 101 as a detour. But this enterprising driver decided they would simply remove the sign and press on, as Tillamook County Sheriff’s deputy Ben Berger explains:
“The road has been closed for sometime, but they removed the barrier and road closed signs and drove directly into the hole,” said Deputy Berger. “This has been an ongoing problem, with people removing the barriers and driving on the closed portion of the road. Obviously it is extremely dangerous.”
The sheriff’s statement claims that the driver and possible occupants had fled before the authorities arrived to the scene. The Nestucca Rural Fire Protection District put out the car fire, but no rescue was necessary since there were no occupants.
Not long after the crash, the car’s registered owner reported the vehicle stolen. Per the Tillamook County Sheriff:
About an hour after the crash, the owner of the vehicle called 911 to report that the car had been stolen sometime in the early morning hours. The owner’s residence was approximately five miles away from the crash scene. The crash and reported auto theft investigation is ongoing. If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Deputy Ben Berger at 503-815-3392.
The owner reportedly lives within a short distance of the crash site, and an investigation into the theft is underway. The sheriff’s office reminds drivers that they should heed warning signs on the road, rather than, you know, move them.
The reasons seem obvious, but it still takes more than one state agency to implore people to stop moving road signs, and listen when it says “ROAD CLOSED.” Road work is slated to begin at the end of January to repair the damage from the landslide, and Tillamook County Public Works says the work is expected to conclude by the end of March.
