K-9’s bite brings Bend fugitive’s arrest after La Pine chase

A Bend fugitive was arrested in the La Pine area late Sunday afternoon after an attempted traffic stop led to a brief police chase and two deployments of a sheriff’s K-9– the second leading to a bite on the leg, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Around 4:40 p.m., a deputy tried to stop a red Pontiac Grand Am near the intersection of Burgess Road and Meadow Lane because the driver, Gerald Boyd Vinson, 51, had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, said Sgt. Nathan Garibay.

Vinson sped away, Garibay said, and led the deputy on a brief pursuit for about a quarter-mile before he pulled into an apparently random driveway.

The deputy pulled in behind the car as Vinson got out and began to quickly walk away , refusing to comply with the deputy’s commands, Garibay said.

The deputy then deployed his K-9 partner, Brolo, who began to chase Vinson as he walked away. Vinson surrendered and the deputy recalled the dog.

But then, Vinson walked toward his car and tried to get back in, presumably to try to flee again, Garibay said.

So the deputy re-deployed Brolo, who captured Vinson as he tried to get back into the driver’s seat of the car. Brolo bit Vinson on the leg and took him to the ground, Garibay said, allowing him to be taken into custody.

Vinson was known to have an outstanding warrant for felony failure to appear on an original charge of unlawful use of a weapon. He also was arrested on new charges of attempt to elude by vehicle and on foot, as well as interfering with a police officer.

Vinson was treated at the scene for the dog bite by La Pine Fire Department medics, then taken by deputies to St. Charles Bend for further treatment before being lodged at the county jail, held without bail on the outstanding warrant.