La Pine reckless driver prompts pursuit, fruitless manhunt
A Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy pursued a reckless driver in La Pine Monday morning, leading to the abandoned car a short time later and a manhunt that failed to find the driver, deputies said. They are asking the public for help with any information.
Around 8:35 a.m., the deputy spotted a silver 2002 Hyundai Elantra driving recklessly on Darlene Way near Finley Butte Road, sheriff’s Sgt. Doug Sullivan said.
The deputy tried to pull the driver over in the area of Finley Butte and Russell Road, but the driver fled south on Darlene Way at speeds topping 70 mph, Sullivan said.
The suspect drove east on a forest road, then turned north on South Huntington Road, where the deputy briefly lost sight of the car due to dust, the sergeant said.
The car was found a short time later, stopped and abandoned at a home on South La Pine Drive, Sullivan said.
A search ensued, including Oregon State Police and Sunriver police. A Deschutes County K-9 team was deployed and conducted a track for more than two miles but could not find the car’s occupants.
Sullivan said the sheriff’s office is “actively looking for the driver” and encouraged anyone with information to call the county’s non-emergency dispatch line at 541-693-6911.
