Car stolen from La Pine Bi-Mart parking lot; suspect spotted at Gordy’s Truck Stop, caught fleeing the scene
La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – An Oregon coast resident who allegedly stole a car from the La Pine Bi-Mart parking lot Thursday morning was arrested a short time later when he left the car at a truck stop and was spotted crossing Highway 97 by Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies.
Deputies were dispatched shortly before 10 a.m. to the reported theft of a Subaru Legacy from the parking lot while the owner was inside the store, Sergeant Jason Wall said.
Responding deputies tried to find the car while en route to the scene. Wall said the Community Action Target Team (CATT) sergeant spotted the stolen car pulling into the parking lot of Gordy’s Truck Stop.
"The sergeant opted to not initiate a vehicle pursuit out of an abundance of caution for the public and awaited other responding units to arrive in the area prior to attempting to make contact," Wall said in a news release.
The suspect, later identified as a 43-year-old Yachats man, was seen by a citizen and truck stop employee running from the stolen car, Wall said.
Responding deputies established a search perimeter and planned to use a K-9 team to look for and apprehend the suspect. But before the dog and partner arrived, the suspect was seen crossing Highway 97, heading west toward Burges Road, the sergeant said.
Deputies and the CATT sergeant were able to apprehend the suspect without further incident. He was taken to the county jail in Bend and booked on charges of unlawful entry into and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, as well as reckless driving and reckless endangering.
