Man who wouldn’t leave Bend homeless camp jailed on criminal mischief charge

Accused of throwing rocks at nearby business

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A man who refused to leave his tent on a Central Oregon Irrigation District access road and has declined several offers of assistance since last fall was arrested Friday afternoon, accused of throwing rocks and damaging a nearby business, police said.

Just before 3:30 p.m., police responded to the COID access road behind Precision Body and Paint on South Highway 97, Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

Police had been working since last September with the 46-year-old man living in the tent, Burleigh said. Officers coordinated several outreach contacts, along with Deschutes County Health Services staff, “in an attempt to engage him in ongoing services and connect him to available community resources,” Burleigh said in a news release.

Earlier in the week, the man again was contacted by officers and service providers, offered numerous services and was given several days to leave the area, but he refused and stayed in his tent.

On Friday, the man allegedly threw rocks and caused damage to the body shop’s building, Burleigh said. Workers at the business identified the suspect, and officers applied for and received a warrant to arrest the man on the COID-owned property. He was taken into custody without incident, the lieutenant said.

The man was lodged at the county jail on a first-degree criminal mischief charge, related to the damage at the business.

Burleigh said the man’s personal property is being maintained for the next 30 days by COID, which will continue to clean up the area in question.

A manager of the auto body business told NewsChannel 21 in January and again earlier this week of the homeless camp resident trespassing on their property and threatening his employees numerous times.