Man dies after 40-foot fall from a cliff in Oregon

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    SWEET HOME, Oregon (KPTV) — The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says a man has died after falling 40-feet down a cliff near Sweet Home.

On Thursday at 12:12 p.m. deputies responded to a rescue off Sheep Creek Road off Highway 20, east of Sweet Home. The injuries of the victim were unknown at the time and appeared urgent. Deputies say the area was remote, difficult to access due to steep banks, and had miles of gravel roads.

When deputies arrived they could see Lloyd Barton, 76, of Eugene, unresponsive at the bottom of the cliff. Rescue teams worked to descend to Barton and as time progressed, it was clear Barton had died.

A witness described Barton attempting to access the area to fish. While attempting to descend the steep terrain and cliffs to the river, Barton lost his footing and began tumbling down hundreds of feet before falling off a 40-foot cliff. The witness walked out of the area, contacting a logging crew who arranged to contact 9-1-1.

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