Between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, Bend Police arrested at least 12 people for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drivers recorded blood alcohol contents ranging from 0.13 percent to 0.23 percent. One driver was arrested just before noon on Christmas Day with a 0.20 percent BAC, while another was arrested after being found unconscious in the Taco Bell drive-through on New Year’s Eve and recorded a 0.23 percent BAC. 

At least three of the DUIIs involved drug use, including inhalants and marijuana.  

Two of the arrests came after crashes, including one in which the driver fled the scene and had a BAC of 0.13 percent after the incident.  

This year, the Bend Police Department stepped up its presence in the downtown area on New Year’s Eve in an attempt to cut down on intoxicated drivers and other problems that historically have arisen on this holiday.  

In addition to having a large presence of officers in the downtown core, the Department also placed a large boom light at NW Greenwood Avenue and Hill Street to help prevent vehicle vs. pedestrian crashes.  

In an effort to educate the public about alcohol consumption and DUII, our school resource officers set up a table in downtown Bend and took between 150 and 200 breath samples of community members over the course of the evening. Participation was voluntary and designed to help community members understand their levels of intoxication.  

In 2025, Bend Police arrested more than 550 people for driving under the influence.  

Date: Dec. 12, 2025 

Case #: 2025-00073024 

Incident: Bend man arrested after brandishing BB gun during a road rage incident 

Date / Time of Incident: Dec. 11, 2025 / 7:48 p.m.  

Location: 1000 block of SE Division Street, Bend  

Arrested: Alex Rojo, 18-year-old Bend resident  

Offenses: Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing  

At approximately 7:48 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, Bend Police were dispatched to a report of a weapons offense at the Chevron gas station in the 1000 block of SE Division Street.  

The caller reported that he was driving eastbound on SW Reed Market Road when he slowed to turn onto SW Division Street. The driver behind him reportedly passed him in the oncoming lane of traffic, then got back in front of the victim and slammed on his brakes. When the victim pulled into the Chevron, the suspect, later identified as Alex Rojo and driving a white Dodge 1500, followed him into the parking lot and the pair engaged in a verbal dispute.  

Rojo then pulled out a pistol, pointed it at the victim, and threatened to shoot and kill him. The suspect left the scene before law enforcement arrived. Witnesses provided the license plate to Bend Police. 

A Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputy located the vehicle parked at Rojo’s home, and Bend Police responded and called Rojo, who was not on scene. Rojo was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon and menacing. The gun, determined to be a BB gun, was recovered.  

Date: Dec. 11, 2025  

Case #: 2025-00070644 

Incident: Three arrested for burglarizing home in NW Bend  

Date / Time of Incident: Dec. 9, 2025 / 12:40 p.m.  

Arrested/Offenses:  
Heather May Cordier, 36-year-old Bend resident: Theft I, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary I 
Stephen Michael Rechner III, 47-year-old Bend resident:  Burglary I, Theft I, Criminal Trespass I, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary I, parole violation warrant 
Stephanie Lafountaine, 41-year-old Bend resident: Burglary I, Theft I, Criminal Trespass I, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary I  
Sergei Leonard Newlin, 33-year-old Bend resident: Unrelated parole violation warrant

On Saturday, Nov. 29, Bend Police responded to a report of a burglary in the 1000 block of NW Baltimore Avenue.  

The homeowners, upon returning from being out of town, discovered that a variety of their belongings were missing. The homeowners rent their house out when they leave town, and the company that manages the rentals hired a third-party cleaner to come in after the visitors departed.  

The homeowners reviewed their surveillance video footage and saw the cleaner arrive in the early afternoon of Nov. 16. Approximately two hours later, two additional people arrived and entered the home. The three departed about 10 minutes later with a large number of items in garbage bags. The missing items were estimated at approximately $1,200.   

An investigation determined the cleaner was 36-year-old Bend resident Heather Cordier, and the two additional suspects were identified 41-year-old Stephanie Lafountaine and 47-year-old Stephen Rechner, both of Bend.  

Between 12:40 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, Bend Police executed two search warrants related to this investigation. The search warrants took place at an apartment at 1707 SE Tempest Drive and 618 NE Bellevue Drive. The operation involved patrol officers and detectives, as well as members of the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team. Officers received additional assistance from drone operators, negotiators, and community service officers.  

Officers recovered items connected to the burglary at both locations.  

Cordier, LaFountaine and Rechner were taken into custody, as was Sergei Newlin, who had an unrelated warrant for a parole violation. All four were lodged at the Deschutes County Jail.   

UPDATE: Karter has been located and is no longer considered missing.

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Date: Dec. 9, 2025  

Case #: 2025-00070913 

Incident: Bend Police request assistance in locating missing/runaway 17-year-old 

Date / Time of Incident: Dec. 1, 2025 / 1 p.m.  

The Bend Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing/runaway 17-year-old.  

At approximately 1 p.m. on Dec. 1, Bend Police responded to a report of a missing juvenile. A family member reported she had not heard from Karter William Cash Novacoff, 17, in about two months after he reportedly left his family’s home and may have moved to Redmond for work.  

Other family members reported they had not spoken to Karter in about a month, and that Karter frequently left home in the months leading up to this most recent disappearance.  

Over the past week, officers have unsuccessfully attempted to locate Karter, who was last known to be living in Redmond and possibly working for a landscaping company there. 

Anyone with information about Karter’s whereabouts is asked to contact nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911.