‘I was really surprised’: Bend Police make 10 DUII arrests in 48 hours, several for reckless driving, endangering
(Update: adding video and comments from Bend PD)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Ten drivers were arrested in Bend on DUII charges in less than 48 hours last Friday and Saturday, several also for reckless driving and reckless endangering, police said Wednesday in a sober reminder of the increased dangers on city streets at a time of year for holiday parties.
Bend Police Communications Manger Sheila Miller said Thursday, “I was really surprised to find that we'd had ten days in a 48 hour period -- and actually, seven of those were just from one shift.”
From Friday night to Saturday morning, Bend PD have two officers on patrol that specifically look for DUIIs.
“It's just, sometimes it takes people seeing those numbers to maybe rethink what they're doing," Miller added.
Bend PD caught a 32-year-old woman driving south on Third Street after she almost hit a school bus and drove on the sidewalk. Six of the DUII cases involved added charges of reckless driving and endangerment. The drivers' ages ranged from 17 to 60.
Two drivers were arrested for going the wrong way. One of those was on NW Bond Street. The other was driving 80 MPH, heading south in the northbound lanes of the Bend Parkway.
"These are things that could result in really serious injury," Miller noted. "Maybe they don't look like close calls, because of the hour. But 4:30 in the afternoon, going up on the curb, there could be people on the sidewalks.”
With Central Oregon known for its world-renowned beer, Bend Police combat dangerous driving year-round, but with the holidays around the corner, they are ramping up efforts.
“This is a community-wide issue," Miller said. "We hear from people in our community that this is a thing that they want us to work on, so we do. We go out and we bust 10 people in 48 hours. We are out every single night, trying to keep people safe by keeping drunk drivers off our streets.”
Here's the chronology and details of those arrests:
At 1 a.m. on Friday, police stopped a wrong-way driver identified as an 18-year-old Sunriver resident at the corner of NW Bond Street and Oregon Avenue in downtown Bend, police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said. She was arrested on suspicion of DUII, reckless endangering and reckless driving.
At 1:22 a.m. Friday, an Oregon State Police trooper pulled over a Toyota Tacoma in the 700 block of NW Riverside Boulevard on suspicion of speed racing, Miller said. The 29-year-old Bend man at the wheel, with passengers in the pickup, was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangering and DUII.
At 4:18 p.m. Friday, Bend Police responded to a report of a DUII driver heading south on SE Third Street. The caller said the driver, later identified as a 32-year-old Bend woman, almost hit a school bus stopped at train tracks and drove on a sidewalk, Miller said. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving and reckless endangering.
At 8:47 p.m. Friday, Bend Police stopped a Toyota Land Cruiser for failure to drive within a lane, failure to obey a traffic control device and an improper left turn near the intersection of NW Arizona Avenue and Lava Road, Miller said. The 56-year-old Bend man who was driving was arrested on suspicion of DUII.
At 9:42 p.m. on Friday, Bend Police responded to a report of a wrong-way driver speeding at about 80 mph while heading south in the northbound lanes of the Bend Parkway, Miller said. Witnesses said the driver of the Cadillac Escalade, identified as a 30-year-old Bend woman, then crossed to the southbound lanes. Officers stopped her on the parkway near Powers Road and arrested her on suspicion of DUII, reckless driving and reckless endangering.
At 10:30 p.m. on Friday, Bend Police responded to a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Brookswood Boulevard and Aspen Rim Lane. When officers arrived, they found a 44-year-old Bend woman in a Chevy Silverado on a sidewalk. She had crashed through trees in the center divider and came to a stop near a home’s fence. She was arrested on suspicion of DUII, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Just before midnight Friday, Bend Police arrested a 35-year-old Bend man on DUII, reckless driving and reckless endangering charges near the intersection of NE Eighth Street and Bennington Way after he crossed into oncoming traffic and nearly hit an officer’s vehicle head-on.
At 2:04 a.m. Saturday, Bend Police conducted a traffic stop near NE Wells Acres and Butler Market roads, Miller said. The driver, a 21-year-old Bend man, reportedly had been following another vehicle around town and was driving erratically. He was arrested on suspicion of DUII and reckless driving.
At 2:40 a.m. Saturday, in the 61500 block of S. Highway 97, a 17-year-old male from La Pine, driving a Chevy Silverado, was pulled over for failure to maintain lane and failure to use a signal. The teen was arrested on suspicion of DUII, Miller said.
At 6:46 p.m. on Saturday, Bend Police responded to a report of a hit-and-run crash near the intersection of SW 15th Street and Simpson Avenue, Miller said. Officers found a Jeep Grand Cherokee facing south on 15th Street. The Jeep’s airbags were deployed and it was extensively damaged from hitting a parked vehicle. The Jeep owner, a 22-year—old Bend man, was contacted at his home and arrested on suspicion of DUII and hit-and-run, Miller said.
"Bend Police would like to remind the community of the dangers of driving under the influence," Miller said, noting that the department has arrested nearly 600 drivers for DUII in 2023.
In addition to normal patrols, Bend Police are now working grant-funded overtime shifts to combat DUII drivers.
"Please do your part to keep our roads safe," Miller said. "If you’re going to drink or do drugs, please be responsible and call a cab, use a rideshare or otherwise arrange for a sober driver to pick you up."
