Two DUII crashes into Redmond buildings – in an hour

Two crashes into buildings – one a duplex, narrowly missing a child – in Redmond within an hour of each other early Sunday morning led to DUII and other charges against both suspected drunk drivers, police said Monday.

Shortly after midnight, officers were dispatched to the 1900 block of Northwest Larch Spur Court after Deschutes County 911 dispatchers received calls of a vehicle crashing into a duplex and leaving the scene, Redmond police Lt. Curtis Chambers said.

Responding officers learned a 10-year-old child was in bed at the time of the crash, and the pickup that punched a hole through the rear of the duplex “missed hitting the child by just a few feet,” Chambers said in a news release. The vehicle, described as a full-size pickup with a flatbed, crashed into the kitchen area of one half of the duplex and was lastseen heading south on Northwest 19 th Street.

Evidence at the crash scene led to identification of a suspect, Jory Markiss, 28, of Redmond, Chambers said. Officers found the vehicle in the 2500 block of Southwest Cascade Mountain Lane, contacted the suspected driver and arrested Markiss on several charges, including DUII-alcohol.

Jail records Monday showed Markiss was also being held on first-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, six counts of recklessly endangering and failure to perform the duties of a driver. Bail totaled $55,000.

Shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Redmond officers again were dispatched to a report of a vehicle hitting a building, this time the Double J Saloon at 528 Southwest Sixth Street, Chambers said.

An employee reported a female driver hit the building with a vehicle and ran, leaving it behind. About a half-hour later, Chambers said, officers found and arrested a suspect, Emma Walker, 22, of the Redmond area. Due to call load and available staffing, Walker was issued a criminal citation for DUII-alcohol and other crimes and released to a sober adult.

It was a busy weekend for Redmond police, who arrested three other DUII drivers late Friday and early Saturday, according to the lieutenant.

” In today’s world, there is no excuse for DUII drivers,” Chambers said. “In Redmond, there are numerous options available for alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers to get to their destinations, other than driving themselves.

“Please plan ahead with a sober driver, take a taxi, call a ride-share business, or simply walk. Putting the lives of other people, especially small children asleep in their beds, at risk is unacceptable.

“The officers of your Redmond Police Department are trained to look for indicators of impairment caused by alcohol, marijuana, and other substances. DUII drivers will be arrested and held accountable in our community. The police department receives grant funding for placing additional patrols on the roadways each month to deter poor decision-making. This grant funding supports the efforts made every day by officers working their normal shifts.

Please report suspected DUII drivers by calling 541-693-6911 in Deschutes County or anywhere in Oregon by calling 800-24-DRUNK (800-243-7865).

NewsChannel 21’s A.J. Kato will have more on Redmond’s DUII crashes in our 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on KFXO (Fox).