Wanted Prineville man flees police, barricades in home, leading to SWAT team call-out, six-hour standoff and arrest

(Update: Woodruff arraigned, bail set at $25,000)

Was wanted on charges of eluding police in Bend area in February 2023

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Prineville man wanted on a Deschutes County warrant eluded police who tried to pull him over, ran into a home and refused to come out Thursday evening, prompting a regional SWAT team call-out and a six-hour standoff until they raided the home and arrested him.

Police saw the black Chrysler being driven in a reckless manner around 4:35 p.m. near the intersection of Northeast Elm Street and Loper Avenue, Acting Lieutenant Thomas Vollmer said.

The driver was quickly identified by officers as Timothy William Woodruff, 47, wanted on an active $5,000 Deschutes County misdemeanor warrant for fleeing or attempting to elude police. Court records show Woodruff, who has a lengthy criminal history, was accused of running from a traffic stop early last year and of later failing to appear in court on the matter.

Within minutes Thursday, officers found Woodruff’s car heading south on NE Elm Street and attempted a traffic stop, which led to a short pursuit, Vollmer said. Woodruff stopped on NE Dunham Street and ran to a home on NE Seventh Street. He refused to comply with verbal commands to come out.

Officers also learned Woodruff was reported to be chasing a woman driving another car and accompanied by her two children, the lieutenant said, adding that there were no injuries to the woman or children.

Prineville Police, assisted by Crook County sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police troopers, set up a perimeter and surrounded the home. The Central Oregon Emergency Response Team responded and executed a search warrant around midnight.

Interim Police Chief Shane Wilson said Woodruff was found hiding in the home and “there was no use of force or injury” to take him into custody.

Woodruff was booked into the county jail on the active arrest arrant and new charges, including three counts of recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, menacing, disorderly conduct and violating the conditions of a no-contact release agreement.

He was arraigned Friday afternoon on eight formal charges: felony and misdemeanor counts of fleeing or attempting elude a police officer and six other misdemeanors: menacing, reckless driving, three counts of recklessly endangering another person and second-degree disorderly conduct. Security (bail) was set at $25,000 and Woodruff is scheduled to return to court next Friday for arraignment on an expected grand jury indictment.

Vollmer said the Prineville Police Department wanted to thank the sheriff’s office, OSP and the CERT team for their assistance.

According to a case report filed in last year's pending Deschutes County case, a sheriff's deputy spotted Woodruff on Feb. 24, 2023, driving a pickup on Cooley Road from Hunnel Road that had no current registration or insurance, and learned that Woodruff had a misdemeanor warrant at the time out of Crook County.

The deputy said Woodruff drove west on Highway 20 and he stopped the pickup on Mountain View Drive, where the driver said he did not have a license.

The deputy said he had gone back to his patrol car and was getting out to return to the pickup when Woodruff got out and ran. That led to a search in the area involving Bend Police and OSP, as well as a deputy and K-9 that tracked him through several properties but could not find him.