Eugene Man, 42, Missing Near Vida on McKenzie Highway; Search Ongoing

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is actively searching for 42-year-old Michael Trevor Owen Naughton of Eugene after he was reported missing following an incident in the Vida area of McKenzie Highway east of Springfield. LCSO posted the case as 26-0867 and released a photo to aid the search.

LCSO says Naughton was reported missing on Feb. 19 after he was “walking to get gas for his vehicle in the Vida area of McKenzie Highway, east Springfield.” Deputies began search operations the same day and continue to canvass the stretch of highway and nearby forest roads where he was last seen.

Lane County Sheriff's Search & Rescue is leading ground searches with assistance from Oregon State Police. Drone operators from Mohawk Valley Fire and Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District have flown search patterns to expand coverage in steep and densely forested areas east of Springfield, officials reported in the release.

Naughton’s vehicle has not been found. LCSO identified the car as a silver 2009 Ford Fusion with Idaho plates and said the vehicle “has also not been located.” Investigators note Naughton “may have driven or hitchhiked back into Eugene,” and are asking the public to report any sightings of that make and model traveling between Vida and Eugene.

The sheriff’s office provided a physical description to help residents and travelers identify him: Naughton is a white male adult, approximately 5'10" tall and about 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. It is unknown what he was last wearing. The agency has released an image file labeled michael trevor naughton.jpg to media outlets for distribution.

Anyone who has information about Naughton’s whereabouts or who may have seen the described vehicle is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 541-682-4150, option 1. LCSO listed the matter as Case 26-0867 and urged immediate calls with relevant sightings or dash-cam footage from McKenzie Highway or routes between Vida and Eugene.

The search remains ongoing as of the latest LCSO release; investigators have not reported the vehicle located nor provided additional details about circumstances beyond the initial account that Naughton walked to get gas in the Vida area on Feb. 19.