Richard Smith was found dead inside the wreckage of his 1992 Ford Taurus Tuesday evening.NEWBERG, OR (KPTV) -
An elderly Sherwood man who was reported missing on Monday was found dead in the wreckage of a crash on Highway 99E near Dundee.
Dundee Fire crews found the body of 75-year-old Richard Smith inside his 1992 Ford Taurus just after 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Oregon State Police said a truck driver spotted the car in some thick brush down an embankment near milepost 27.
The Yamhill County medical examiner positively identified Smith as the lone victim of the crash. Investigators say he was not wearing a seat belt when his car traveled off the road, down a 25-foot embankment and into some trees.
Smith's family reported him missing on Monday after they hadn't heard from him since Friday afternoon.
Sherwood police said Smith used his credit card at 1:30 a.m. Saturday to purchase gas at the Spirit Mountain Casino service station in Grande Ronde.
Investigators aren't sure when the crash happened or what caused Smith to veer off the roadway.
Both Sherwood police and Oregon State Police are investigating the crash.
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