Bend PD seek tips in ‘road rage’ gun-pointing case
A Bend woman said she had a gun pointed at her during a suspected road rage incident Sunday afternoon on South Highway 97 at Pinebrook Boulevard, police said Tuesday as they sought the public’s assistance in the case.
The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. as the 26-year-old Bend woman was heading north on Highway 97 (the Bend Parkway) near Pinebrook Boulevard and the south Third Street junction, said Lt. Clint Burleigh.
The woman said the unknown male suspect cut her off by pulling in front of her quickly, Burleigh said.
“The female was upset with this and honked her horn at the suspect male. This initiated the unknown suspect male to speed up and use his vehicle brakes repeatedly,” Burleigh wrote.
“The female wanted to get a description of the driver, so she pulled up next to the suspect vehicle. When she looked over at the driver of the suspect vehicle, she noticed the driver was pointing what she believed to be a handgun at her,” the lieutenant said.
“The female Bend resident was visibly upset about the incident and felt she was in imminent danger of being shot,” Burleigh said.
As a result, the woman ” immediately slowed down and put as much distance between herself and the suspect vehicle as she could,” he added..
The incident occurred around 2:28 p.m. The woman said she last saw the man driving east on Pinebrook Boulevard from Highway 97.
Several Bend police officers and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies “canvassed the south part of Bend without finding the suspect vehicle.,” Burleigh wrote.
“The Bend Police Department is asking for the help of the community to identify the suspect vehicle.,” he added.
The vehicle is described as a mid to late 1990s Range Rover, with the paint looking similar to silver oxidized, and a black roof rack on top. Burleigh said the woman provided partial license plate information, but they are not confident enough to release it to the public.
“If anyone has information on a vehicle that looks similar to the suspect vehicle, we are asking they contact the non-emergency dispatch number at 541-693-6911,” Burleigh said. “Please do not approach the vehicle, as the nature of this report indicates the suspect could be armed. “
NewsChannel 21’s Dani Fried asked Burleigh what drivers should do in a situation like this one.
“Well, I think what she did was perfect,” Burleigh said. “Once she saw the gun was pointed at her, she backed off. She got to a safe place, saw where the vehicle was traveling, and called it in.”
When dealing with everyday road rage however, Burleigh said, “If somebody cuts us off, the best thing we can do is slow down, get some distance between you and the car in front of you and get yourself in a position to continue to drive safely.”
