Mitchell man, 75, leads OSP on high-speed chase

Oregon State Police, with the assistance of the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office, arrested a 75-year old man near his Mitchell home Sunday afternoon after he led a trooper on a 40-mile high-speed pursuit from east of Prineville to his home.

Shortly before 4 p.m., a trooper tried to stop a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup eastbound on Highway 26 near milepost 24 for failing to maintain a lane of travel.

The driver failed to yield and attempted to elude the trooper eastbound at speeds reaching near 85 mph. While attempting to elude, the pickup was involved in a minor non-injury crash with another vehicle at the Burnt Ranch Road intersection and continued eastbound.

Wheeler County sheriff’s deputies went to the Mitchell area to assist as the pickup continued heading east.

Around 4:12 p.m., the driver, Kenneth Norman Cook, 75, of Mitchell, was taken into custody by troopers and deputies around the corner from his home.

Cook was lodged in the Crook County Jail on a felony charge of attempt to elude, as well as reckless driving and recklessly endangering.

He was also cited on a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license, troopers said, adding that a misdemeanor hit and run charge is pending in Wheeler County.

Crook County sheriff’s deputies said Cook was released from custody pending a future court appearance