Date: April 21, 2024
Case #: 2024-00021461
Incident: Reckless driver eludes law enforcement, taken into custody on roof of Bend home
Date / Time of Incident: April 21, 2024 / 12:30 p.m.
Location: 20000 block of SW Sunny Way, Bend
Arrested: Nicholas Michael Wood, 42-year-old Idaho resident
Offenses: Assault II – 2 counts, Felony Hit & Run, Reckless Driving/Reckless Endangering (multiple counts – total number to be determined), Elude – Felony, Elude – Misdemeanor, DUII
Bend Police took an Idaho man into custody after a long standoff on Sunday afternoon.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., on Sunday, April 21, an off-duty Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputy called 911 to report a reckless driver traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 20 near Millican. The gold Toyota Sequoia was passing illegally, speeding, swerving and nearly causing crashes.
An Oregon State Police trooper spotted the vehicle, and the trooper and a Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop. The driver, later identified as 42-year-old Nicholas Wood, eluded the deputy and trooper, who pursued the suspect vehicle but discontinued their pursuit before entering Bend. Deputies deployed a spike strip outside city limits, but were unsuccessful.
The driver turned southbound on NE 27th Street, then westbound on Knott Road. Wood continued speeding, ultimately heading north on Brookswood Boulevard. Bend Police and Sheriff’s deputies staged in a variety of locations but did not pursue Wood. At approximately 1:08 p.m., a Bend Police officer successfully deployed spike strips, but Wood continued to drive recklessly northbound on Brookswood. He crossed into oncoming traffic and hit an approaching vehicle head-on. The two people in the vehicle Wood hit remain hospitalized at this time.
Wood ran from his vehicle and at approximately 1:24 p.m., he climbed onto the roof of a detached garage in the 20000 block of SW Sunny Way. For approximately two hours, officers and deputies negotiated with Wood, to no avail. Officers and deputies then used multiple less-lethal options, including firing pepper balls containing chemical irritants and 40-millimeter less-lethal ammunition. Wood was taken into custody at approximately 3:39 p.m.
Bend Police wish to thank the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police for their assistance, as well as Bend Fire for providing a ladder truck to help remove Wood from the roof.
Wood was transported to St. Charles Bend for evaluation, where he remains at this time. When released, he will be lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on the above offenses.
During this incident, Brookswood Boulevard was closed between Murphy Road and Reed Market Road for several hours.