DCSO: Redmond-area chase, search turns up man, woman hiding in trees
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – An attempted traffic stop in Redmond early Monday morning led to an eight-mile high-speed pursuit and a search by two K-9 teams and thermal-imaging drone after the car was found abandoned. A Bend man and woman were found hiding in trees and arrested, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.
Shortly after midnight, a deputy tried to pull over a black 2012 BMW for an observed traffic violation (failure to drive within a lane) on Northwest Way near Upas Avenue, Lt. William Bailey said.
The driver sped away, reaching speeds of about 100 miles an hour, in a pursuit that lasted about eight miles before the deputy lost sight of the car on Highway 126 near the Cline Falls Highway, he said.
As other deputies responded to assist, the first deputy minutes later found the car unoccupied on Northwest 95th Street. Deputy Michael Mangin and K-9 partner Ares began a person track from the car, with help from sheriff’s deputies and detectives.
Bend police Officer Kevin Uballez and K-9 partner Lil’ Kim joined the search, along with a Redmond police thermal-imaging drone.
The extended track continued for several miles until a 33-year-old Bend woman was found nearly 30 feet up a tree, Bailey said. She was determined to be a passenger in the car and allegedly had several grams of suspected methamphetamine in her possession.
The search continued as deputies, officers and the K-9s tracked the driver to another tree about 200 yards away. The 38-year-old man was jailed on felony and misdemeanor charges of attempting to elude police, along with reckless driving, reckless endangering and criminal trespass. The woman was jailed on a probation violation and a drug possession charge.
Bailey said the sheriff’s office was assisted by several property owners in the area who told them about animal activity and agitation believed to be associated with the fleeing suspects. He said that helped law enforcement narrow the search area and capture them.
Oregon State Police also assisted in the search.
