Lincoln County, OR. — A Lincoln City man has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of an 80-year-old pedestrian last week.
On Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, officers with the Lincoln City Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle striking a pedestrian near NW 15th Street on Highway 101. When officers arrived, they found Joseph Koffend, 80, of Lincoln City, injured in the roadway.
Officers, along with crews from North Lincoln Fire and Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance, provided emergency medical care at the scene before Koffend was transported to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital. He was later pronounced deceased.
With assistance from witnesses and area surveillance cameras, investigators identified the suspected driver as 45-year-old Juan Antonio Suarez Jimenez of Lincoln City.
Police said Suarez Jimenez attempted to conceal the involved vehicle, which was later located outside city limits and seized under a search warrant.
On Feb. 22, 2026, Suarez Jimenez turned himself in at the Lincoln City Police Department. He was arrested and lodged at the Lincoln County Jail on a charge of Failure to Perform Duties of Driver to Injured Persons (ORS 811.705), a Class B felony.
The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case for potential additional charges.
Lincoln City Police thanked community members who assisted in the investigation, as well as the Lincoln County Major Crash Team, Oregon Department of Transportation for traffic control support, and the Oregon State Police and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for helping handle calls for service while officers worked the scene.
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