Published:Monday, June 9, 2008 11:02 AM PDT
Serving the South Coast of Oregon

Highway crash sends driver to hospital
Monday, June 9, 2008 11:02 AM PDT

Police arrested a 23-year-old man Saturday morning after a stolen vehicle crashed on state Highway 42 east of Coquille.

According to an OSP press release, at about 4 a.m., a 1984 GMC Sierra pickup truck was eastbound near milepost 14.8 when it left the roadway, slid down an embankment and came to rest on its side.

The suspected driver, Brandon A. Koser, was partially ejected and pinned under the vehicle. He was taken to Bay Area Hospital with back injuries, and later transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland. A hospital spokeswoman said Koser’s condition this morning is good.

According to the Coos Bay Police log, at about 4:25 a.m., a vehicle matching the description of the one that crashed on Highway 42 was reported stolen at Hampton’s Auto Repair, 114 E. Highway 42. A Coquille Police spokeswoman said the case is still under investigation. According to the OSP press release, the owner said the truck had just been delivered to Coquille on Friday, following a full restoration and new paint job.

A trooper contacted Koser at Bay Area Hospital and issued him citations on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, driving while suspended, driving uninsured and failure to drive within his lane.


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