Tragic Crash Near Oregon Coast Range; Washington County K-9 Nabs Thief

Published 05/15/26 at 8:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(McMinnville, Oregon) – Law enforcement and first responders were kept busy this week with a variety of incidents in western Oregon, with two in particular involving vehicles. (Photo ODOT)

The area between the Oregon Coast Range and McMinnville was the scene of a tragic accident this week that has left many coastal residents shaken.

Oregon State Police (OSP) said a single-vehicle crash on Highway 18 in Yamhill County left one man dead early Wednesday.

Troopers were called to the scene near milepost 38 at 5:48 a.m. on May 13. Investigators said a westbound Chevrolet Silverado driven by Philip Andrew Estes, 61, of Lincoln City, veered out of its lane for an unknown reason near SW Oldsville Road. The pickup entered a ditch, hit a culvert, rolled, and ejected the driver.

Estes was pronounced dead at the scene.

Highway 18 - one of the main routes to the Oregon coast - was partially closed for about three hours during the investigation. The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted at the scene.

Near McMinnville - Oregon Coast Beach Connection

In Washington County, sheriff deputies caught up with a man that had stolen a car, enabled by a K-9.

Deputies arrested an Arizona man Tuesday morning after he fled from a stolen vehicle in Aloha, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 8 a.m. on May 12, deputies were called to storage garages at 4050 SW 160th Avenue after a caller reported a man with a gun inside a parked vehicle.

Heceta Head Lighthouse Light is Out For Only Third Time in 130 Years of Oregon Coast History - Once in '61 and then in 2000: no repair date yet

“Deputies requested a drone to assist and used it to safely monitor the situation from above,” OSP said. “Through the drone’s camera, they observed the man emerge from a nearby storage unit. When he noticed the deputies, he fled south across the parking lot, jumped a fence, and ran toward SW Blanton Street in Aloha.”

Deputies confirmed the vehicle he abandoned was stolen and saw multiple firearms inside. A containment perimeter was established, and Deputy Oien and K9 Rexx were brought in to track the suspect, with drone support overhead.

K9 Rexx located the man - identified as 36-year-old Vance Lind of Mesa, Arizona - hiding under a blanket in dense brush within a nearby green space. Deputies took him into custody and booked him into the Washington County Jail on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felon in possession of a weapon, providing false information to police, and an outstanding warrant from Arizona.

Detectives with the Washington County Community Violence Reduction Team later executed a search warrant on the vehicle and associated storage unit, locating additional firearms and stolen property. The sheriff’s office said further charges are possible as the investigation continues.

Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

'Old Oregon Coast' Feel Meets Modern Swank at Manzanita Charmer Hotel
Ocean Inn at Manzanita is woodsy yet bougie. Manzanita hotels, lodging reviews

New Expansive Vacation Home on Oregon Coast Soars to Where Neskowin Meets the...
5 bedrooms, 600 ft of deck and a sauna so fire. Pacific City hotel reviews, hotel news, Neskowin hotels, vacation rentals, Lincoln City hotel reviews, Rockaway Beach hotel reviews

What's Old is New Again on Oregon Coast: Inn of the Four Winds Reopens As New...
Some of the biggest ocean views in Seaside, historical charm. Seaside hotel reviews, Cannon Beach hotel review

Reedsport Hotels - Lodging near the lighthouse
Reedsport Hotel news, hotel reviews, vacation rentals

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles)

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright © Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted