Sherman County, OR – Drivers traveling through Sherars Grade on Highway 216 saw emergency response activity Thursday after a vehicle rolled roughly 400 feet down an embankment in a remote area of Sherman County.
According to the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched on November 13, 2025, Thursday, after receiving a report of a man lying among rocks near the highway. Responding deputies located the individual, who reported that he had exited his vehicle moments earlier to address a mechanical issue.
According to the sheriff’s office, the unoccupied vehicle began to roll down the roadway and over the edge before tumbling an estimated 400 feet down the steep grade. The driver was not in the vehicle at the time and was not injured.
Sherars Grade, a well-known and winding descent near the Deschutes River between Maupin and the Sherman County highlands, is a common travel route for locals heading toward The Dalles, Wasco County, and central Oregon. The incident did not result in a closure, but deputies monitored the area while coordinating vehicle recovery efforts.
Authorities did not indicate what mechanical issue may have caused the vehicle to roll or whether weather conditions contributed. No other vehicles were involved, and no road damage was reported.
Drivers familiar with the area say steep switchbacks and minimal shoulders can make even minor roadside stops risky, particularly during fall travel when temperatures begin to drop in the Columbia River Gorge region.
The sheriff’s office has not released additional details, and towing crews are expected to remove the vehicle once conditions allow.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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