DUII CRASH ON YAQUINA BAY BRIDGE IMPACTS MORNING COMMUTE

Newport Police Dept.

On Thursday, August 17, 2023 at approximately 7:33 a.m., Newport Police Officers were dispatched to a one vehicle crash on the south end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Callers reported a vehicle had struck the bridge railing and was blocking the southbound lane of travel.

Officers arrived on scene and located the vehicle, a 2018 Ford Explorer, with heavy front-end damage. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 47-year-old South Beach resident Brian Macho. Investigation revealed that Macho was northbound on Highway 101 when he drifted out of his lane, driving up onto the east side sidewalk as he drove onto the bridge, before crossing over the southbound lane of travel and crashing head on into the west side sidewalk and railing causing damage to the concrete railing.

Macho was showing signs of impairment during the crash investigation and submitted to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which later indicated he was impaired. Macho was transported to the Lincoln County Jail where he provided a breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content at .08%. Macho was lodged at the Lincoln County Jail for DUII and Criminal Mischief II, due to the damage to the bridge.