Redmond-area stolen-car chase leads to arrest

A car stolen in Bend on Monday was spotted in Redmond Tuesday afternoon but the driver refused to pull over, sparking an eight-minute high-speed chase that was discontinued due to traffic. The car soon was found abandoned east of Highway 97, and a Deschutes County sheriff’s K-9 found the fleeing driver, who was arrested, deputies said.

Around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, a deputy saw the stolen red 1998 Chevy Camaro heading north on SW 27 th Street near Elm in Redmond, said Lt. Joe DeLuca. The deputy was unable to turn around to pursue the car, but notified dispatchers of the location.

A Redmond police officer soon found the car and turned around to pull it over, but it pulled away and the officer initiated a chase, turning on his lights and siren, the lieutenant said.

Oregon State Police and Bend police joined deputies and Redmond officers in the pursuit, which reached speeds of about 80 mph and went down several streets, including McVey Avenue, Helmholtz Way and Canal Boulevard, at which point the chase was called off after about eight minutes, DeLuca said.

A short time later, the car was found abandoned near Dale Road, east of Deschutes Junction and Highway 97, between Redmond and Bend, he said.

A perimeter was established and sheriff’s Deputy Doug Jackson and K-9 partner Duco started tracking the driver, soon able to find the man identified as Robert Hansen, 36, of Bend, who was arrested without incident, the lieutenant said.

DeLuca told NewsChannel 21 at the scene a passenger also fled and also was found by Duco and taken into custody but declined to divulge more details pending further investigation.

Hansen was lodged at the county jail in Bend and held without bail on a probation violation, also charged with attempt to elude, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, reckless driving and reckless endangering.