42-year old John Day man found deceased due to apparent medical issue
By Logan Bagett on Thursday, July 1st, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
GRANT COUNTY – (Press Release from Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley)
Grant County Emergency services were busy on the last day of June this year.
It started early the morning of the 30th with a vehicle that was reported as teetering precariously over a steep road bank about two miles up the Southfork. Michael Wenzel, 55 a Dayville resident reported that he had got out of his pickup near ten pm to work on a headlight issue, when the vehicle started rolling back down the road. Wenzel attempted to stop the vehicle, and was drug down the roadway by it, and narrowly escaped serious injury when the vehicle went over the embankment and was caught by the driver door. The vehicle was removed without incident and no property was damaged.
Later that morning, a motorcycle crash with injuries was reported by a Forest Service crew working in the south end of the county by the Silvies-Hopper Lane. The crash was eventually located, and it was discovered that Eric Wolf 55, of Upland California, had failed to negotiate a curve at milepost 45C and sustained minor injuries.
Crews in the Mt. Vernon area then responded to lightning fires west of Mt. Vernon, with Sheriff Office staff assisting in the location of fires.
Later, near 8:00 pm, a caller reported finding a deceased subject in the pit area of Little Canyon Mt. It was discovered that Ryan Nichols, 42 of John Day had been riding a motorcycle in the area when he suffered an apparent medical issue and passed away.
Sheriff McKinley would like to thank the public that have been calling in these reports and ask that they continue to do so. Please stay safe and make this coming Independence Day weekend a safe one!
