Police ID Bend man who died by Westside coffee stand in frigid cold

(Update: Adding name, background)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Bend police on Thursday released the name of a 59-year-old Bend man who was found dead beside a Westside drive-thru coffee stand early Wednesday morning, as record-low temperatures plunged to near zero.

Deschutes County 911 dispatchers received a call at 5:37 a.m. from a Dutch Bros customer who found the man, who police have identified as Jeffrey Lee Knievel, on the ground next to the coffee stand at 120 SW Century Drive, Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

"They were there as a walk-up customer to the window and saw the person on the ground," Burleigh told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday.

Officers, along with Bend Fire & Rescue medics, responded and quickly determined Knievel had died, Burleigh said. Several officers were on scene and caution tape placed around the area until they cleared the scene and it was removed.

The investigation so far “has revealed no suspicious circumstances or foul play,” Burleigh said in a news release shortly after noon Wednesday.

“Intoxicants and weather are believed to be contributing factors of death,” the lieutenant said. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

Burleigh said they don’t suspect foul play “and there is no active threat to the community.”

Online court records show Knievel, who listed a southwest Bend address, entered a guilty plea and was convicted on Feb. 14 of driving under the influence of intoxicants last Nov. 26. The charging document indicated he had a blood-alcohol level of .15 or more; the state's legal limit is .08. His petition to plead guilty was accepted and entered by the court on Tuesday.

While there has been no indication at this point whether Knievel was homeless or not, the frigid weather has put many of those now living on the street at greater risk.

REACH and other service providers have been out since Sunday, giving out blankets, warmers, tents and sleeping bags to the homeless.

Stacey Witte, the founder and executive director of REACH, says having more places to sleep can make a difference. 

“Sounds dramatic, but I think it’s the difference between life and death,” Witte said. 

Several organizations have been transporting goods, and every available shelter is being used.

“All of our service providers are working so hard, and we’re maxed to capacity, but you can’t help but feel that as much as we’re doing, it just isn’t enough,” Witte said. 

But Witte can’t help but ask herself one question.

“How many city, county and church buildings do we have that were locked and warm and empty last night?” Witte asked. 

Witte said she feels there needs to be two to four more buildings that can be used as emergency shelters, stocked with water and other necessary items.

“I think we have the support from the community and we have service providers willing to do the work,” Witte said. “We just need some buildings in these events that can open for a day or a week, depending on the need.”

Whether Knievel had a warm home to go to or not, Witte wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“I think we need to come together and once again learn from the past experience what can we do better next time,” Witte said.