RR Man Jailed for Felony Assault & DUII after Striking Bicyclist on Highway 99
A Rogue River man was jailed for felony assault after he struck a bicyclist while driving drunk on Highway 99 near Grants Pass.
The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the collision near milepost 4 of Rogue River Highway late Thursday night.
Troopers said an investigation indicates 49-year-old Rene Anthony Sanchez was driving a Ford F-150 pickup south on the highway when he hit a bicyclist who was properly in the roadway.
The bicyclist -- identified as 54-year-old James Alan Nelson -- was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Sanchez was not hurt, but his pickup was towed to the impound yard.
According to OSP, Sanchez returned to the crash scene and displayed obvious indicators of impairment. He performed poorly in field sobriety tests and refused to provide a breath sample, so a search warrant was obtained and he was taken to Three Rivers Medical Center for a legal blood draw that documented inebriation.
Rene Sanchez was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 3rd-Degree Assault and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. He was held without bail.
