Prineville-area man jailed in false report of fatal shooting

A 61-year-old Prineville-area man called authorities Sunday evening to report a fatal shooting – and while it was determined to be a false report, he was arrested on several charges, including misuse of 911, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said.

Shortly after 6 p.m., deputies, Prineville police and Oregon State Police rushed to a report of a person being shot and killed on Northwest Grimes Road, just north of Prineville, said sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Bottoms.

Bottoms said they determined Mark Craig Collins had called 911 dispatchers from a home in the 2800 block of Grimes Road to report the shooting – which was determined to be false after an extensive search of the area.

Collins was arrested on charges of misuse of 911 and initiating a false police report, Bottoms said He also was arrested on first-degree charges of theft and aggravated theft of a skid-steer and flatbed trailer, Bottoms said. The charges stemmed from a prior, ongoing investigation.