Chiloquin shots-fired standoff ends in arson fire, capture

Highway 97 was closed for nine hours after deputies came under fire

CHILOQUIN, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Klamath County sheriff's deputies answering a shots-fired call on Highway 97 near Chiloquin were fired upon Sunday afternoon by a man in a log home, prompting a 9-hour highway closure until he allegedly set the home ablaze and was caught trying to escape.

Deputies had responded around 1:30 p.m. to the call of shots fired in the 37000 block of Highway 97, said Brandon Fowler, sheriff's office public information officer and emergency manager.

The deputies made several unsuccessful attempts to encourage the man, later identified as Steven Earl White, 55, to give himself up.

The ongoing prompted incident prompted deputies to close Highway 97 and side streets in the Chiloquin area, with a detour established by ODOT.

Around 9:30 p.m., deputies "were literally preparing to make entry into the building from one location when they discovered it was on fire," Fowler said. Deputies said White had done so in an attempt to evade arrest, but was captured outside of the house.

White was booked into the Klamath County Jail early Monday and held without bail on charges including two counts of attempted aggravated murder, arson, menacing, criminal mischief and improper use of 911.

Fowler said White lived in the home with his mother until she passed away a couple of months ago.

Several law enforcement agencies assisted the sheriff's office in taking White into custody, including Klamath Falls Police, Oregon State Police and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, Fowler said.

There were no injuries to White or to those who responded to the scene.One sheriff's office patrol car sustained "light damage" when it came under fire, Fowler said. Highway 97 was closed until about 10:30 p.m.

Others who assisted deputies in the area included Chiloquin Fire & Rescue, Klamath County Emergency Management, the Klamath County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and ODOT.

"KCSO wishes to thank all the agencies who assisted, as well as the Chiloquin community for their assistance and support, Fowler said in a news release.