DCSO SEARCHING FOR LOST MOTORCYCLE RIDER
Date: 09/20/20
By: Lt. Bryan Husband
Location: Triangle Hill Area, near USFS Rd 4601/4602 (West of Bend)
Lost Subject: Christopher Faith, 29 year old male, Gilchrist, OR
**** Updated Media Release****
Date: 09/20/20
DCSO Deputies had been attempting contact throughout the night with the subject who had loaned his cell phone to Faith to call his friends. On 09/20/20, at about 8:30am, Deputies were finally able to speak with him on the phone and confirm the location where he had contact with Faith the day before. That location was more accurately described as the USFS 370 Rd, about one mile north of Todd Lake, which was a significant distance away from the originally described area. The subject told deputies he had offered to Faith for him to follow him and his group down to the main road, but Faith said he was fine and continued to push his motorcycle up (north) USFS 370.
With this new information, DCSO SAR Volunteers were provided with new search assignments reflecting Faith’s last known point. On 09/20/20, at about 9:14am, 9-1-1 Dispatch received a call from a mountain bike rider on the Mrazek Trail, who had come across Faith. Faith had walked away from his motorcycle at some point during the early morning hours and was tired and cold. Nearby DCSO SAR search teams responded to Faith’s location, began warming efforts and transported him in a DCSO SAR vehicle to the Tumalo Falls/4601 parking area, where Bend Fire Department personnel were dispatched to meet them.
After evaluation by Bend Fire Department, a Sheriff’s Office Deputy assisted in reuniting Faith with his family. Faith did not require any further assistance.
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On 09/19/20, at about 11:11pm, Deschutes County 9-1-1 received a report of a lost dual sport motorcycle rider in the Triangle Hill area, near the USFS Rd 4601/4602 juncture. Friends of Chris Faith reported they had been riding together in that area earlier in the day and had gotten separated. They reported receiving a call from Faith at about 6:13pm, who told them his motorcycle wouldn’t start and he was stranded. Faith reported he had left his cell phone in their truck, had been walking and pushing his motorcycle for 1-2 miles, when he came across another motorcycle rider who let him borrow his cell phone to call his friends. Faith described his current location to his friends as being near the USFS 4601/4602 juncture. Faith did not report any medical problems or other issues other than being stranded.
Faith’s friends told him to continue walking downhill on the road and they would meet him at the truck. Faith never arrived at the truck. His friends (three other dual sport riders) rode to his described area, but could not locate Faith or his motorcycle. Faith’s friends continued to search the surrounding area until 11:11pm, at which time they reported him as lost to 9-1-1 Dispatch. Deputies responded to the area and searched throughout the night without success.
On 09/20/20, at about 6:30am, patrol deputies were joined by over 20 Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Volunteers, searching both by vehicles and ATV’s. The search continues at this time. Chris Faith is described as a 29 year old white male, approximately 5, 7″ tall, 180 lbs, with short brown hair and beard and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a “Thor” brand motorcycle riding shirt/pants combo, green in color with purple and blue accents. He was wearing a “Fly” brand helmet, neon yellow in color. Faith’s motorcylcle was descriged as a YZF 450 dual sport, yellow and black in color.
Faith has been entered as a missing person and anyone with information as to his whereabouts is encouraged to call Deschutes County Dispatch at: 541-693-6911.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Street Crimes, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with six K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves the nearly 190,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 230 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 187 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.
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