Bend man, suspect in serious-injury DUII hit-and-run, arrested in Sweet Home after wild police chase

(Update: Adding video)

Kept driving on bare rims after tires hit spike strips; took 2 tries for officers to box him in

SWEET HOME, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 49-year-old Bend man accused of a serious-injury DUII hit-and-run crash led officers from several agencies on a pursuit Saturday afternoon – eventually on bare tire rims, after hitting spike strips -- that ended with his arrest after officers were able to box in his car, Oregon State Police said.

OSP said its Albany Patrol Office troopers responded shortly before 4 p.m. to pursue a hit-and-run vehicle whose driver was fleeing Lebanon Police officers.

Troopers said Anthony Michael Tallon’s black Ford Escape hit a vehicle on Denny School Road, causing serious injuries, and he then fled the scene. Tallon was quickly located by Lebanon officers, but refused to stop, prompting the pursuit.

Linn County sheriff’s deputies deployed hollow spike strips that flattened the Escape’s front tires, but he kept heading east on Highway 20, troopers said.

OSP troopers from Albany assumed the primary role in the pursuit on Highway 20 outside of Lebanon, with county and city units assisting, as Tallon kept up speeds of over 60 mph while driving on bare rims.

Tallon nearly struck a patrol car when officers tried to stop him by boxing him in, OSP said. He also rammed a patrol car on a second attempt to box him in, but officers ended the chase and stopped the car by boxing in the Escape in Sweet Home.

Tallon was booked into the Linn County Jail on charges of DUII, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, fleeing, felony attempt to elude, second-degree assault and attempted assault, and failure to perform the duties of a driver in a crash with injury. He remained held without bail Tuesday.

Tallon, listed on the Linn County court filing with a Dallas, Oregon address (but in previous cases with Bend addresses), was arraigned Monday afternoon on two initial counts: a felony charge of fleeing or attempting to elude police and a misdemeanor reckless driving charge. The judge set bail at $25,000, but a pretrial release officer determined he should remain in custody over “public or victim concern,” a document indicated. A status check is set for Oct. 30.

Deschutes County court records show Tallon was arrested in February of 2021 and pleaded not guilty that June to charges of felony DUII, and misdemeanor hit-and-run (property damage), reckless driving and second-degree criminal mischief. A trial was set for last November, then for April of this year but canceled both times. A two-day trial is currently scheduled for Dec. 6.