Seal Rock businessman faces five charges after suspected DUII wreck and incident at hospital

Oregon State Police arrested the co-owner of a large Seal Rock commercial building and convenience market on accusations of aggravated harassment, assault and recklessly endangering another person after being charged with drunken and reckless driving Thursday, March 18.

Police arrested Leon L. Limon, 53, of Seal Rock on the charges after he crashed his truck about 7:05 p.m. Thursday while heading north on U.S. Highway 101 just south of the coastal community.

Limon appeared in Lincoln County Circuit Court on Friday, had a not guilty plea entered by a judge, and was denied a request for a court-appointed attorney. His next scheduled court appearance is April 19. Conditions of release said Limon was to have no alcohol or marijuana, not go into any bars, taverns or liquor stores, and have no contact with the injured passenger in his truck.

In a probable cause affidavit, OSP Trooper Bryan Kolacz said Limon told him he swerved onto the highway shoulder to avoid an oncoming vehicle before crashing his truck into the ditch. Kolacz wrote that Limon told him he had been a police officer in California and emergency vehicle instructor.

But the trooper said while talking with Limon he observed a “moderate odor of alcohol” and other signs of impairment. In his affidavit, Kolacz said Limon said he had two beers at the Sea Note restaurant in Yachats, and was arrested after he refused to perform a field sobriety test.

Paramedics took Limon to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport for treatment of ankle and hand injuries, but once there refused to consent to having blood drawn. Police then got a judge’s search warrant to draw his blood.

A passenger in Limon’s truck was more severely injured and also taken to the hospital.

Police charged Limon with harassment after he started “acting out” at the hospital, “yelling extremely loud and making a scene” and then spitting repeatedly on an employee who was trying to get his vital signs.

In a Newport News-Times story in December, Limon told the paper that he and a partner bought the large commercial building in Seal Rock 18 months ago and opened a convenience market in early December. He also told the newspaper they had plans to open a neighborhood pub in the former restaurant at the north end of the building.