A 58-year old Curry County resident was cited last week by Oregon State Police (OSP) for Reckless Driving and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree after he damaged guardrail along Highway 101 about five miles south of Gold Beach.

On November 27, 2013 at 4:25 p.m., a fifty ton 1969 Chieftain Battletank was recently purchased by an area resident and was in the process of being delivered to the owner’s property. The truck driver transporting the tank thought he couldn’t climb a steep hill grade on Highway 101 and unloaded it at the Myers Creek Wayside.

JEFFREY B. GLOSSOP, age 58, from Pistol River, who despite no experience operating a tank thought he could drive it up the hill on Myer’s Creek Road to the property where he is employed as a caretaker. As GLOSSOP started up the hill the tank slipped out of gear and rolled back down the hill, across Highway 101 where several vehicles had to stop to avoid the out-of-control tank, and crashed through a guardrail.

GLOSSOP drove the tank back through the damaged guardrail, across Highway 101 and continued up Myer’s Creek Road. After rounding a curve the tank slipped out of gear again and rolled backwards through another guardrail. The tank continued down an embankment and into a group of trees where it came to a stop.

ODOT responded to the scene and confirmed damage was in excess of $1500.

An OSP trooper investigating the incident cited GLOSSOP to appear in Curry County Circuit Court on the above listed charges.