Suspect in 2 Bend holdups shot, killed by officers after chase over Santiam Pass

(Update: Video added; suspect identified; Details from Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Bend and Salem police)

Linn County deputy, 3 OSP troopers fire shots in confrontation

GATES, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man who pulled a gun and robbed a Dutch Bros coffee stand and Domino’s Pizza in southeast Bend Tuesday night, stole an employee’s car and fled pursuing police over Santiam Pass was shot and killed by officers in a confrontation on Highway 22 near Gates, authorities said.

Bend police responded around 10:15 p.m. to 911 calls of a holdup at the Dutch Bros Coffee at 603 Southeast Third Street and Domino’s Pizza at 235 Southeast Yew Avenue, Deschutes County sheriff’s Sgt. Jayson Janes said Wednesday.

The suspect, identified as Brad Masters, 27, of Bend, walked up to the drive-up window at Dutch Bros, brandished a handgun and demanded money, then left on foot, Janes said. He then held up Domino’s Pizza, also demanding money, then stole a car from a Domino’s employee and left with an undisclosed amount of cash before officers arrived.

Oregon State Police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were alerted to the robbery and stolen car, Janes said.

A sheriff’s deputy was on the Bend Parkway near milepost 138 when he spotted the stolen car speeding south and tried to stop it, losing sight of the car near Romaine Village on the south end of town.

As a search perimeter was being set up, another deputy watching U.S. Highway 20 west of Tumalo saw a blue car pass him at an estimated 90 to 100 mph, Janes said. The deputy was able to catch up and confirm it was the stolen car, whose driver refused to stop and sped up, heading west.

The deputy broke off the chase as they approached Sisters. A Black Butte Ranch police officer set u spike strips to try to flatten the tires, but Masters was able to avoid them, Janes said.

West of Sisters, the deputy again tried to catch up to the car and kept trying to stop it until he reached the county line east of Santiam Pass. The deputy was alone, so the decision was made to discontinue the pursuit, Janes said.

Marion and Linn county deputies and Oregon State Police responded to assist, found the car and began a pursuit that ended after the car was finally stopped with spike strips around 11:45 p.m. on state Highway 22 near milepost 38, five miles east of Gates, Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon said.

“Once stopped, the driver exited the vehicle, a confrontation ensued, and three troopers and a Linn County deputy fired shots,” said Salem police Lt. Treven Upkes, whose agency is leading the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

Masters died at the scene, Upkes said, adding that no law enforcement officers were injured.

The officer-involved shooting closed a 15-mile stretch of Highway 22 between Gates and Detroit in the Santiam Canyon for about 10 hours.

The involved law enforcement officers were identified as OSP troopers Caleb Yoder, Michael Iacob, and Joseph Sousa, who have been with the agency for 5 years and 10 months, 4 years and 11 months, and 3 years and 10 months, respectively, Upkes said.  

The Linn County deputy involved was Brandon Rathelegurche, who has been with the sheriff’s Office for 2 years and 10 months.

Each officer has been placed on administrative leave, per their respective agency’s policies.

In accordance with Marion County’s Law Enforcement Intentional Use of Deadly Physical Force Response Plan (“SB111 plan”), which outlines investigatory standards for deadly force investigations, the non-involved Salem Police Department was requested to conduct the investigation.  Salem Police detectives are working with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office to complete the investigation.

Once the investigation is concluded, it will be sent to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to the grand jury. No further information will be released, Upkes said, and all future information will be released by the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

Masters' criminal history includes guilty pleas to forgery and theft in 2017, when he was sentenced to five days in jail and 18 months probation and a first degree theft guilty plea and conviction in 2019 that brought a 20-day jail term and two years probation. He pleaded guilty to criminal mischief earlier this year and received a 10-day jail term and 18 months probation.