BEND, Ore. -- An Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish & Wildlife trooper is resting comfortably in a Bend hospital after surviving a 50-foot fall down a cliff Tuesday morning while helping ODFW conduct a big horn sheep census in Grant County.
OSP Senior Trooper Larry Johnson was with two ODFW employees conducting an annual big horn sheep census near Aldrich Mountain in a remote area south of Dayville when the accident occurred about 8 a.m., June 10.
OSP Sergeant Gordon Larson with Senior Trooper Johnson's wife and son watching Air Life prepare for takeoff from Blue Mountain Hospital - OSP photo
Johnson was moving along the edge of a cliff, he momentarily grabbed a tree and the tree gave way and he lost his footing. The trooper fell about 50 feet vertically down the cliff, suffering a lower right leg injury.
The ODFW employees were able to get down to the injured trooper, and with their assistance he crawled about 1/2 mile to their parked ATV (all terrain vehicle). Johnson was transported via ATV over ten miles of rugged country before they reached a pickup, then he was driven nearly 25 miles to Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day.
Senior Trooper Johnson, 38, is a 14 1/2 year OSP veteran assigned to the OSP Fish & Wildlife Division. He has worked out of the OSP John Day work site since April 2001.