N. Klamath fugitive chase, manhunt lead to school lockdown

A California fugitive led police on a Highway 97 pursuit south from Deschutes into Klamath County, then ran from his SUV and eluded a manhunt by Oregon State Police in Crescent on Wednesday. An unconfirmed sighting a mile north in Gilchrist on Thursday led to a lockdown of schools there, but the man again was not found, a deputy said.

A driver believed to be Corbin Sherman Shakely, about 26, refused to pull over for Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, who handed the chase over to Oregon State Police troopers at the county line.

OSP troopers said Shakely was spotted by a Deschutes County deputy driving recklessly around 90 mph, passing vehicles and nearly struck one. The driver refused to pull over.

The chase continued south on Highway 97, to Kehn Road, a dead-end road in Crescent, where he abandoned a white Ford Explorer and fled on foot, said Klamath County sheriff’s Sgt. Darren Frank.

Bend police sent a K-9 team that did a lengthy track in the area, and Deschutes County deputies brought in a second dog after Bend’s lost the track, but was unable to pick up a fresh one. Shakely last was believed to be near the Crescent cut-off road, near milepost 8 or 9, they said.

The search resumed Thursday by OSP troopers and Frank, he said..They tracked him to a vacant building, where it’s believed Shakley spent the night, but his whereabouts from there are unknown.

Shakely is described as 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, with green eyes, brown hair and a shaved head. He last was seen wearing a gray “hoodie,”” blue jeans and tennis shoes.

Shakely is wanted in a Western states warrant for probation violation and “has a history of violence,” the sergeant said.

It’s not known if he is armed, but he “should be considered dangerous,” Frank said, urging anyone with information about Shakely or a person matching his description to call 911 or OSP at 800-452-7888.