A Bend man who went missing after a Sunday afternoon motorcycle ride was found dead Monday morning in the Horse Ridge area, about 19 miles east of Bend.
41-year-old Eric Blayney went riding on OHV trails on Sunday but never returned home. His friends and wife became concerned and reported him missing to the Bend Police Department at 3:00 a.m. this morning. Blayney had the Life360 app on his phone, which helped determine his last known location.
Friends began searching for Eric at 7:00 a.m. Monday in the Horse Ridge area. Forest Patrol deputies from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist in the search. At 10:41 a.m., Blayney’s friends found him unresponsive on a private road that runs next to the OHV trail.
His friends and deputies began CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), a device that can deliver a shock to try to restart the heart. When medics arrived, they pronounced Blayney dead at the scene.
While the accident is still under investigation, it’s believed Blayney may have turned off the trail and onto a private road by mistake. That road was blocked by a gate made of two metal poles and a chain. His motorcycle was still in fourth gear when it was found, suggesting he may have hit the chain while traveling at a high rate of speed.
Blayney was riding alone. His wife was notified by friends and Bend Police about his death. The crash appears to be a tragic accident.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest sympathies to Eric Blayney’s family and friends.
