Bend fugitive flees detectives, found in 2nd car and arrested; drugs, gun seized

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man wanted on two warrants and believed to be returning to Deschutes County with drugs was arrested after a brief pursuit on Highway 97 and a traffic stop of another car, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said Tuesday. Heroin and other drugs, as well as a loaded handgun, were found in his possession, they said.

The sheriff’s office Street Crimes Unit had “conducted a short-term investigation” of Adam Damien Chandler, 39, for distributing drugs in the county, Detective Chris Erhardt said.

Early last Thursday, unit detectives learned he was returning with controlled substances in his possession, the detective added.

Detectives spotted Chandler’s car heading south on Highway 97 near the Ogden Scenic Wayside in Terrebonne and attempted a traffic stop. He refused to pull over, Erhardt said, and a short pursuit began, but was discontinued “due to safety concerns for the public.”

Hours later, deputies found Chandler’s car near a trailhead off of Quail Road.

Shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday, Chandler was found to be the passenger in another car that was pulled over on Lower Bridge Road, near milepost 5, and he was arrested without further incident. Erhardt said.

The detective said Chandler had in his possession “commercial quantity amounts of heroin, user amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine” and more than $1,000 in cash. A search of his car turned up the loaded handgun.

Chandler was taken to the county jail in Bend and initially lodged on a Crook County warrant for probation violation and a Deschutes County arrest warrant for second-degree theft. He later was charged with felony heroin possession, misdemeanor meth possession, felon in possession of a firearm, felony attempt to elude police, reckless driving and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Chandler remained held without bail Tuesday on the warrants, jail records show.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit focuses enforcement on street-level drug cases and quality of life issues connected to property crimes throughout the county.