Dufur man jailed in Bend robbery at knifepoint

Oregon State Police arrested a resident of the small Wasco County town of Dufur at his home Monday night on charges he held a knife at the throat of a Bend man and stole his wallet after offering him a ride home, police said.

The victim, a 21-year-old Bend man, contacted police around 9:40 p.m. Sunday to report he’d been robbed at knifepoint by a man he’d just met who offered him a ride home, Bend police Lt. Nick Parker said Tuesday.

During the ride, the suspect, identified as William Joseph Baker, 29, stopped the car near the intersection of NW Idaho Avenue and Broadway Street and demanded the man’s wallet, Parker said.

The victim initially refused to give the wallet to him, but Baker allegedly then assaulted the other man, held a knife to his throat and continued to demand the wallet. Parker said the victim ultimately gave Baker his wallet, and the suspect left him on the side of the street and drove away.

The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries to several areas of his body, Parker said.

Investigators were able to identify the suspect as Baker, as well as identifying his car. They suspected he would try to return home to Dufur, so police investigators notified other police agencies.

Around 7 p.m. Monday, Oregon State Police found and arrested Baker at his home in Dufur, a town of about 600, and arrested him without incident, Parker said.

Baker was taken to the Deschutes County Jail in Bend and lodged on charges of first-degree robbery, third-degree theft and fourth-degree assault. He remained held Tuesday on $106,000 bail.

Bend police offered thanks to OSP for their help in finding and arresting Baker. They also thanked the NORCOR Adult Facility, a regional jail in The Dalles, for temporarily detaining Baker until Bend police investigators could pick him up.