Missing man found unharmed after crash near Triangle Lake

TRIANGLE LAKE, Ore. -- A missing elderly man from Lane County was found in his vehicle early Friday morning after he crashed his car down an embankment near Triangle Lake.

Gordon Smith, 82 of Blachly, Ore., was reported missing to Oregon State Police on Thursday evening. 

At around 6:40 a.m. Friday, a log truck driver headed west on Highway 36 spotted a vehicle that had crashed off the roadway and down an embankment. The driver called 9-1-1 and reported finding the vehicle near Triangle Lake.

Emergency responders from OSP, Lake Creek and Lane Rural Fire and Rescue helped get Smith out of the vehicle. He was taken to McKenzie Willamette Medical Center for evaluation.

Police said that the man most likely left the roadway at around 3 p.m. Thursday and was trapped inside his vehicle without a usable phone.

Officials said that he was not injured in the crash.