Man dies in crash on Highway 53 near Manzanita
MANZANITA, Ore. – A 36-year-old man died when his car went off the road and rolled several times in blackberry bushes near Highway 53, police said.
It happened just east of Highway 101 near Manzanita. It’s unclear what time the crash occurred. Someone called police when they saw the car at around 7:45 a.m.
Police said Zanoni Arizona Hartford was driving a Honda Civic southbound on Highway 53 when it rolled off the highway while going around a curve.
Hartford was thrown from the car during the crash. The car came to rest about 30 feet off the road in some blackberry bushes.
I drove that section hundreds of times. Â It takes lots of experience with the circuit to familiarize yourself with the off-camber turns, bumps, areas where deer hang out, blind corners, etc. Â There are straight sections that can be negotiated (not saying I di) at 100 MPH, but many that can't really be done above 25 or 30.. Attempting to do so without the above experience results in regrettable mayhem like this. Â I could outrun Porsches in my Datsun 510 on Germantown north of Skyline, because it was my daily commute. My brother swung too wide on THAT road and smacked into a pickup (no harm to the humans) because of that same overconfidence and lack of complete utter familiarity with a windy, treacherous road. Â I never had so much as a close call on 53 or Skyline consequently.
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My condolences to his family.
 @Muttley Small world, I to used to stretch my 510's legs on those roads as well as Thompson road.  Never raced any Porches but managed to beat a couple Triumphs.  Man I miss that car at times.
My condolences to Mr. Hartford's family. My son was in a car accident last week. He had his seatbelt on which literally saved his face and chest and probably saved his life. I am one so very grateful Mom, but so sad also because another family has to bury their son. So very heartbreaking.
Seat belts and berry bushes save lives. Â Too bad for him that he did not get the message. Â Who knows, maybe booze and berries do not mix.
RIP
Last week a man died about 200 yards from my house when he drove off of SR 14 and rolled his car. Like the man in this story he was not wearing his seat belt. I don't get it...why would you not wear your seat belt?Â
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 @LongTimeLocal Most of the people who do not wear seat belts have also been under the influence while intoxicated or something. It is a frustrating thing to see it happen time and again, like you say.Â
That is very sad, poor guy should have had a seat belt on. Â Condolences to the familyÂ
The sad thing is if the driver had not been ejected there is a very good chance he would have waked away with some scratches only from getting out. Those black berry brambles make one heck of a cushion for a soft landing.
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Many years ago a car went off at a hillclimb into berry vines and it didn't even put a dent in any of the Camaro's body panels. He came to rest upside down too.
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 @WebFootSTi I don't know, I saw that car at the towing yard and it was messed up pretty bad. Â
The driver was thrown from the car during the crash.
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Well, that's his last mistake in not wearing a seat belt.
 @disgustedman I had a friend who hit the gas in her 4x4 pickup, slid sideways, rolled, was ejected, and the truck rolled over her.  A broken collarbone, wrist, and a few ribs and some contusions later, she was lucky to be alive.  Did she quit drinking (it's what caused it, and she was popped for a DUI) ?  H to the N!  you can't fix stupid.
ouch if the car rolling over you don't get ya the black berry bushes will....I'd rather have a car roll over me...
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 @Common Sence helluva choice
Sure looks like it was far enough off the road so as not to be seen during the night. The driver is probably the operator/owner of the vehicle and investigators need to contact family first, before naming him.