Hung Jury On Manslaughter Charges In Fatal Crash

Michael J. Craycraft of Newport was convicted of the DUII on November 6th however the jury was hung on the Manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges and he was found not guilty on 5 counts of Recklessly Endangering. According to District Attorney's office a retrial on the manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges is set to start on 6/1/21.

On September 7, 2019 Oregon State Police and other local emergency personnel responded to the report of a single-vehicle, serious injury crash near the intersection of Highway 20 and Yaquina Heights Drive. Preliminary investigation revealed Michael John Craycraft was driving a Jeep CJ5 eastbound on Highway 20 when Craycraft lost control of the Jeep, began to spin off the south side of the roadway and struck an embankment.

An unrestrained passenger, 40-year old Rhawnie Lynn Harp of Waldport, was ejected from the Jeep. She was transported by ambulance to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital (SPCH) in Newport where she succumbed to her injuries, and was pronounced deceased. Craycraft was transported to SPCH where he was kept overnight, due to his injuries. Hospital tests on Craycraft revealed a blood alcohol content level over the legal limit of .08.

photo by OSP