‘No excuse’: DUII suspect smashes into vehicles, nearly hits home in NE Bend before fleeing scene Saturday night

(Update: adding video, interview with owners of damaged vehicle, details)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Sunday, damage was still visible and residents shaken following a drunk driver’s destructive path through a northeast Bend neighborhood on Saturday night. 

Around 9:30 p.m., the suspect lost control of his vehicle while driving through the neighborhood on NE Dawson Drive, near NE Neff Road and NE 27th Street. The suspect hit several parked cars and nearly crashed into a home after driving his vehicle up onto a front yard. 

After being confronted by neighbors, the suspect left his vehicle and fled. The chase sparked a large police presence throughout northeast Bend until he was found and arrested. 

Neighbors say the noise drew people out of their homes, many in disbelief at what they were seeing. Shioban Eggleston doesn’t live in the area, but was there to housesit for a friend when her vehicle was hit by the suspect. 

“We just heard a loud noise. So that's when he had crashed into the house down the street. We ran outside to see what had happened and he was kind of like trying to get his car unstuck. And then next thing I know, he's hitting my car,” Eggleston said. 

While neighbors are glad no one was hurt, it was still a traumatic incident that caused a lot of property damage. Sunday morning, neighbors were still reeling as they came together to clean up what they could. 

One resident told KTVZ his rare car was totaled, leaving his daughter without a reliable way to work as a pre-school teacher. For Shioban, she had only recently purchased her beloved vehicle.

“He damaged my car, both my doors. Basically both my passenger side doors. He hit the side where my son's car seat was on as well, and that door won't even open. I just had so much anxiety from it,” Eggleston said. 

In addition to being charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicants, the suspect also faces charges of hit and run, reckless endangering, reckless driving, and criminal mischief.

Officials continue to urge everyone to plan ahead and make safe choices before getting behind the wheel. Neighbors say what happened here should serve as a warning — that one decision can cause major consequences for innocent families. 

Bryan Ortiz, Eggleston’s companion, told KTVZ: “Just don't drink and drive, at the end of the day. Get an Uber, a friend…you got a phone, you can call someone. There's just lots of ways. There's no excuse for it. No excuse.”