Calif. fugitive jumps in Mirror Pond to escape police; found hiding under canoe, caught with Redmond PD K-9’s help

Alert sent to residents during manhunt

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A man wanted on California felony warrants ran through Drake Park and jumped in Mirror Pond to elude Bend police Saturday, swam across the river and ran, prompting an alert to area residents, officers said. He was found hiding under a canoe but resisted arrest, fled again and was caught with help from a Redmond Police K-9 team.

Police contacted the 35-year-old man around 11:40 a.m. at the park after learning he had extraditable felony warrants from California for firearms-related offenses, Patrol Lieutenant Adam Juhnke said.

As officers tried to detain the man, he ran through the park and when confronted by a police sergeant jumped into the pond and swam to the other side of the Deschutes River, Juhnke said. He was seen getting out of the water and trespassing on private property as several officers began searching for him, assisted by Redmond Police K-9 team Officer Chris Barber and Niza, who were called in from Redmond to assist.

A Deschutes Alert also was sent with the description of the man, asking anyone who sees someone suspicious to call 911.

The search with K-9 Niza found the man hiding under a canoe, but he refused to comply with officers’ commands to surrender, the lieutenant said. He tried to flee again by jumping off an elevated rock ledge but was captured by K-9 Niza and officers on the scene.

The man was evaluated and treated at St. Charles Bend, then booked into the Deschutes County Jail, where he was held without bail on the out-of-state warrants and charges of giving false information to police, third-degree escape, resisting arrest, second-degree criminal trespass and depositing trash within 100 yards of a waterway.

Juhnke said Bend Police wanted to thank Redmond K-9 Officer Barber and his partner, Niza for quickly responding to help find and apprehend the suspect.