Driver removes ‘closed road’ sign — and crashes into hole, Oregon cops say

Someone must have thought they discovered a life hack around an inconvenient road closure, Oregon officials reported.

A motorist removed a barricade and road closure sign from a road shut by a landslide before driving “directly” into a large hole in the roadway, Tillamook County sheriff’s officials said in a news release.

Deputies and emergency crews responded to the car upside down and on fire in the hole on Sandlake Road at 8:22 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, the sheriff’s office said. The occupants had fled.

“This has been an ongoing problem, with people removing the barriers and driving on the closed portion of the road,” Deputy Ben Berger said in the release. “Obviously it is extremely dangerous.”

The owner of the crashed car called 911 an hour after the crash to report it had been stolen earlier that morning from their home about 5 miles away, deputies said.

An investigation into the crash and reported theft is ongoing. Investigators ask anyone with information to call 503-815-3392.

“Isn’t this so crazy,” read one comment on the Facebook post by the sheriff’s office.

A contractor is scheduled to begin work on the road Jan. 29, according to the release. Public works officials asked people to stop removing barricades and signs.

The road is expected to reopen by the end of March, officials said.

Tillamook County is about 70 miles west of Portland.

This story was originally published January 24, 2024 at 10:06 AM with the headline "Driver removes ‘closed road’ sign — and crashes into hole, Oregon cops say."