Missing man survives five days trapped in his car near Sequim

Published 2:45 pm Monday, February 27, 2017

A man walking his dog along Sequim-Dungeness Way is credited with finding a man trapped in a car this morning, Feb. 27.

His find led to a Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputy locating Richard Jones, 69, in a car which had been stuck there since last Wednesday.

Jones was was extricated and transported to Olympic Medical Center for evaluation and treatment.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that at 7:16 a.m., Nick Hoffman was walking his dog along the rural road when he spotted a car down a steep embankment.

Hoffman called 9-1-1 and led Deputy Brandon Stoppani to the car in a brushy area not easily visible from the roadway.

Stoppani found Jones bundled up inside his car, alive inside his 1992 Toyota Celica.

He reported that Jones would not have been able to open the car doors, which were blocked by brush and trees.

First responders from Clallam Fire District No. 3 extricated Jones from the Toyota. He was not injured but dehydated and hypothermic.

Jones had been reported missing last Wednesday.

He had been reported overdue by his wife after he failed to return from a store. He was supposed to have been gone for 15 minutes after his departure.