Prineville man loses trailer with 2 flat tires while chased by Crook County deputies; raid finds 350 lbs. of pot inside

(Update: Adding name, raid turns up marijuana in abandoned trailer)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A wanted Prineville man pulling a camp trailer with two flat tires refused to stop for Crook County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday, leading them on a lengthy chase until the trailer came unhooked, then speeding onward at speeds over 100 mph. They later found out why he left it behind - over 350 pounds worth of reasons, as in marijuana.

Deputies discontinued the pursuit of the driver identified as Blake Harlan, 26, when he sped up to over 100 mph, Sergeant Brian Bottoms said Thursday. While the active warrant for his arrest was for a misdemeanor charge, he now faces felony elude charges -- and not just for eluding deputies.

Shortly after 11 a.m., deputies spotted the maroon 2012 Dodge pickup pulling a camp trailer on NE Orchard Lane, with two flat tires on the driver’s side, Bottoms said.

When deputies tried to stop the vehicle, Harland failed to yield to the lights and siren and successfully eluded police, he said.

He led deputies on a lengthy pursuit east of Prineville on Highway 26 (the Ochoco Highway), with the camp trailer eventually being dragged on its axles only, Bottoms said.

Around milepost 31, the camp trailer came unhooked from the truck, and the driver abandoned it in the middle of the eastbound lane. Bottoms said deputies stopped the pursuit due to the high speeds.

On Thursday afternoon, Crook County deputies, assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office and Central Oregon Drug Team, executed a search warrant on the abandoned camp trailer, a 1984 26-foot Komfort.

Inside, they found and seized more than 350 pounds of marijuana, Lt. Don Wagner said.