DCSO K-9 teams catch two fleeing suspects who tried to hide in Deschutes, Little Deschutes rivers

TUMALO, Ore.  (KTVZ) – Twice in two days this week, men fleeing Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies jumped in the Deschutes and Little Deschutes rivers and hid along the riverbanks. But both men were found and arrested with the help of sheriff’s K-9 teams – one with the dog's bite.

Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, deputies were dispatched in Tumalo to a report of an intoxicated man riding his motorcycle in the area, Sergeant Jason Wall said. He was reported to be at a river access point near Wharton Avenue and Fourth Street.

Deputies determined the 34-year-old man had an active felony warrant from another state and a history of resisting arrest. So Deputy Witherspoon and his K-9 partner Vinnie responded to assist in his apprehension, Wall said.

Deputies established a perimeter, to limit the chances the man would run from law enforcement. Wall said they determined he was hiding in the river, concealed among the tall grass and reeds along the riverbank.

The suspect refused to come out of the water and comply with deputies’ verbal orders. “Clear and concise commands were provided to (the man) regarding the presence of a police K-9, and the K-9’s inevitable use if (he) did not comply with the lawful orders,” Wall said in a news release.

But the man continued to refuse to comply, so Vinnie was deployed to take him into custody. That happened without further incident, but the suspect was taken to St. Charles Bend for treatment of injuries from the K-9 apprehension.

He was then taken to the county jail and booked on a charge of resisting arrest and the out-of-state felony warrant.

On Wednesday around 2:15 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 50000 block of Dorrance Meadow Road in La Pine for an unknown problem and open 911 line, Wall said. Dispatch advised deputies someone on the phone called 911, and the line was left open while a verbal dispute could be heard

Deputies learned before arriving that a 50-year-old La Pine man was on scene, and county Adult Parole and Probation requested that he be taken into custody for violating conditions of his probation. Wall said deputies also “developed probable cause for other crimes from a prior incident.”

As deputies arrived, the man ran and swam across the Little Deschutes River to the opposite bank.

Deputy Simpson and her K-9 partner, Delta, arrived on scene to help track and apprehend the man. After a brief search, the K-9 found the man hiding in bushes on the riverbank.

The man was taken into custody without further incident and booked into the county jail in Bend on the probation violation charge.