Prineville man sought in 2 chases caught after several more

(Update: Suspect captured after several more pursuits)

A 28-year-old Prineville man, wanted after fleeing Deschutes and Crook County sheriff’s deputies in a pair of chases Saturday morning, was caught and arrested at gunpoint in the Alfalfa area Sunday afternoon, after several more pursuits of varying lengths, deputies said.

Around 2 p.m. Sunday, a Crook County deputy spotted Lonnie Fosburg driving a white 1998 Subaru Forester westbound on Southeast Lynn Boulevard in Prineville, said sheriff’s Sgt. Ryan Seaney.

The deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop while heading north on South Main Street, but Fosburg sped away, immediately driving into the oncoming lane and causing another car to have to pull to the shoulder out of his way, Seaney said.

The pursuit was discontinued at that time, the sergeant said, but as Fosburg continued north on Main Street, he nearly hit a Prineville police car – much as he had in a Saturday morning pursuit.

Around 2:23 p.m., Fosburg was spotted again by a Crook County deputy near milepost 4 on the O’Neil Highway. The deputy followed him until joined by a Deschutes County deputy, Seaney said.

The deputies initiated a traffic stop attempt near Northeast 25 th Street and the O’Neil Highway, but Fosburg again failed to yield and a pursuit began, which was discontinued near Northeast 19 th Street and Hemlock Avenue in Redmond.

Several more brief pursuits followed, Seaney said.

Deschutes County deputies found him driving near where the last pursuit was discontinued, but Fosburg drove out onto BLM land the pursuit was discontinued a short time later.

Next, the Deschutes County deputies spotted him driving in the area of Johnson Ranch and Alfalfa Market roads. That pursuit also was discontinued shortly after it began, for public safety, Seaney said.

Deputies again spotted Fosburg, this time driving on Juniper Road. They pursued him until he arrived at a home in the 25000 block of Bachelor Lane, in the Alfalfa area, where he tried to hide the car behind a building.

Around 3:30 p.m., Fosburg was “contacted at gunpoint” by Deschutes County deputies and Redmond police, and taken into custody without incident, Seaney said.

Fosburg had a female passenger with him at the time, who was not charged in the case, the sergeant said.

Fosburg was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail in Bend, held without bail on a parole violation warrant and facing several new charges, including four counts of reckless endangering, two counts of reckless driving and three counts of felony attempt to elude. He faces similar charges in Crook County as well.

The Crook and Deschutes county sheriff’s officers were assisted by Redmond police, Oregon State Police and BLM law enforcement.

Around 7:59 a.m Saturday. a Deschutes County deputy tried to pull over a red 1992 Ford Taurus for a traffic violation (an obstructed windshield) at the junction of O’Neil Highway and Highway 97, Seaney said.

The driver, later identified as Fosburg, led the deputy on a pursuit at speeds reaching about 90 mph, Seaney said, but Deschutes County discontinued the pursuit on Highway 97 heading north into Terrebonne for the safety of the public.

Around 8:19 a.m., a Crook County deputy heading west on Northwest O’Neil Highway located the Taurus heading east toward Prineville near milepost 13.5, Seaney said.

The deputy saw a single male driver in the car and turned around to stop it, prompting the driver to speed off and lead the deputy on a pursuit toward Prineville at speeds reaching around 100 mph, the sergeant said.

The pursuing deputy observed the car cross over the center lane several times, he said, in some instances crossing into the oncoming lane.

Fosburg arrived at the intersection of Highway 126 and O’Neil Highway and turned toward Prineville, and Crook County deputies terminated the pursuit, Seaney said.

The suspect cut off a semi-truck when turning onto Highway 126, then nearly hit a Prineville Police Department patrol car head-on. That officer subsequently identified the driver as Fosburg.

After the pursuit was terminated, Fosburg continued east on Northwest Third Street in Prineville and went into the oncoming lane to pass eastbound cars as he ran a red light at high speed at the intersection of Third and Harwood streets, Seaney said.

A short time later, a citizen called in a car matching the description for nearly hitting a motorcycle when Fosburg ran a red light at the intersection of Third and Main streets, about six blocks east of Third and Harwood.

Seaney said Sunday that Fosburg’s car was found by night-shift deputies. He said Fosburg drove to an acquaintance’s home in Prineville and hid the car in a secluded parking area, with a drop cloth over it.

A check of online court documents finds a variety of criminal charges against Fosburg dating back to 2009, ranging from assault and harassment to drug possession, criminal trespass and, in July 2006, fleeing or attempting to elude police in Crook County.