Ex-Klamath Falls police officer accused of stealing drugs from evidence locker

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — A federal indictment accuses a former Klamath Falls police officer of stealing methamphetamine and fentanyl from an evidence locker and then overdosing on the drugs in his police cruiser.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the federal indictment unsealed Wednesday says the officer’s cruiser jumped a median, veered into oncoming traffic and caused a multi-car crash at a local intersection on Nov. 27.

Police say Thomas Reif was on duty in a police vehicle that was reported to have been “driving recklessly” before crashing.

Reif was indicted on two counts of possessing a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge. He pleaded not guilty at his first appearance in U.S. District Court in Medford Wednesday.

Reif is accused of using an unauthorized key to remove the drugs from another officer’s evidence locker, according to the indictment.

After his crash, he was revived at a local hospital. There was evidence of both drugs in his blood and urine, according to toxicology tests. Investigators say they also found a bag of methamphetamine inside Reif’s locker at the police department.

Reif was a Klamath Falls police officer for six years and was fired Dec. 1, according to state records.

The FBI, working with Oregon State Police, investigated the case.