Wild Hwy. 97 chase: Three U-turns, three spike strips
A Redmond man suspected of drunk driving refused to pull over on Highway 97 late Sunday night and led police on a wild chase toward Bend at speeds of 100 mph or more, pulling three U-turns and hitting spike strips three times before pulling over south of Redmond and being arrested on several charges, police said.
Unfortunately, a private car and at least one police car also hit spike strips that deflated tires, they added.
A Redmond officer tried to pull over the 2009 Dodge Challenger driven by Lucas Paranto, 39, at 11:51 p.m. for suspected DUII on S. Highway 97 at Odem Medo Road, said Sgt. Curtis Chambers.
The car sped away, the officer in pursuit toward Bend, and Paranto was pulling away at speeds estimated at 100 mph or even 120 mph according to initial reports from officers in the chase.
Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and Bend police prepared spike strips to deflate the tires on the north side of Bend, but the suspect’s car turned around and headed north before reaching them, Chambers said.
Sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police eventually took over the pursuit, as Paranto did another U-turn, heading south – then turned again to head northbound a second time, the sergeant said.
The Challenger hit spike strips at Deschutes Market Road, then hit ones deployed by a Redmond officer at SW Young Avenue. Another Redmond officer had a third successful spike strip deployment near the old Brand Restaurant, Chambers said.
After driving on rims for some distance, at speeds of up to 90 mph, Paranto’s car eventually stopped on the highway just south of the Yew Avenue exit in Redmond, Chambers said, and the driver was arrested without incident.
Paranto was lodged in the county jail in Bend on $35,000 bail, charged with DUII, felony attempt to elude police, recklessly endangering, reckless driving and criminal driving with a suspended/revoked license.
It was the second of two high-speed pursuits in the Bend-Redmond area Sunday night, the other on U.S. Highway 20E east of town.
