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@LaneSheriffOR
On December 4th, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a missing person case involving Cheryl Leigh Guajardo, 76, of Bend. She was last believed to be driving in the Lowell area on December 3rd.
Lane County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue began a coordinated search of the area involving dozens of volunteers, deputies, and personnel from several assisting agencies. The search was hampered by poor cell service in the remote area she went missing, preventing searchers from tracking her cell phone or vehicle. This prompted a state-wide Silver Alert due to the possibility she had left the area.
On December 7th at about 11 a.m., searchers located Guajardo’s vehicle on an overgrown spur road north of Lookout Point Lake, and a short time later, found Guajardo alive and responsive. Guajardo was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
During this search, dozens of personnel drove thousands of miles, and walked or rode hundreds of miles more. Multiple drones and aircraft searched the area from the air.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the many agencies that assisted with this search:
- Linn County Sheriff's Office
- Deschutes County Sheriff's Office
- Bend Police Department
- Oakridge Fire Department
- Oregon State Police
- Oregon Department of Emergency Management
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- U.S. Coast Guard
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Forest Service
Thank you as well to the many residents of our state who have kept an eye out for Guajardo, and to Guajardo’s friends and family who assisted with the investigation and search.
To see photos of the search efforts, please visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LaneCountySheriffsOffice
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is looking for 76-year-old Cheryl Leigh Guajardo. Guajardo was last believed to be driving near Highway 58, possibly on W. Boundary Road, Lowell, on December 3rd. She is known to drive between Eugene, Bend, and Portland to go shopping.
Guajardo is described as a white female adult, standing approximately 5’08” tall and weighing about 118 pounds. She has long white hair and dark eyes. Guajardo suffers from memory issues and dementia. She does not use a walker or cane, and does not wear glasses. Guajardo was last observed driving her white 2022 Toyota RAV4, Oregon license plate D4 79 00.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office has requested a statewide Silver Alert through Oregon State Police. Anyone with information about Guajardo’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4141.
On November 25th at about 9:00 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of N. Moss St. in Lowell. The search warrant stemmed from an investigation by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, focusing on child exploitation.
The suspect, D’Angelo Ke’Shawn Ford, 25, was contacted in his vehicle at a separate location and arrested. A firearm was found concealed in the vehicle. Ford was lodged at the Lane County Jail on the following charges:
- 2 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree
- 2 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree
- Unlawful Possession of Firearms
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office received assistance during this investigation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Springfield Police Department, Oregon State Police, Cottage Grove Police Department, and the Oregon Department of Justice.
This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable members of our community. The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.
Just before midnight on November 24th, a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy observed a gray 2007 Dodge pickup driving south on I-5 from Goshen at a high rate of speed. A deputy assigned to Creswell attempted a traffic stop as the vehicle passed through the area at over 90 miles per hour, and a pursuit ensued. The deputy deployed his patrol car’s MobileSpike system, which began a controlled deflation of a tire on the pickup to slow its speed.
The driver, Jack Daniel Bates, 49, of Oregon City, pulled over after exiting the freeway onto Saginaw Road. The deputies observed signs of impairment. After investigating, Bates was arrested and lodged at the Lane County Jail for DUI, Driving While Suspended - Felony, and Attempt to Elude by Vehicle.
On November 20th, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies handled three DUIs throughout the day. Each of these calls prevented the investigating deputies from handling other pending calls for service for several hours, and each call could have ended far more tragically.
About an hour after midnight, deputies responded to the 76200 block of London Rd., Cottage Grove. A driver in an SUV went into the ditch and was unable to free his vehicle. Deputies observed signs of impairment, and the driver was arrested for DUI.
At the same time, a deputy conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle driving poorly on I-5 at 30th Ave. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, and observed signs the driver was impaired. After investigating, the driver was arrested and a family member was called to collect a juvenile passenger from the vehicle.
Later that day, at about 5 p.m., a deputy responded to a crash on N. Coburg Rd. near Paiute Ln. after a vehicle left the roadway and damaged a public utility box. The deputy observed signs of impairment, however the driver refused to cooperate and then resisted arrest. After transport to the Lane County Jail, a search warrant blood draw was applied for and granted. The driver was lodged at the jail for DUI, Resisting Arrest, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.
As we head into the holiday season, please consider others on the road:
- Plan your safe ride home ahead of time
- If someone you know has been drinking or using drugs, don't let them get behind the wheel
- If you drink or use drugs, do not drive for any reason
- If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver
- And please, always wear your seatbelt!
UPDATE - 11/15/24
The missing dog, Sedona, and her owner were reunited this morning after Sedona was found by campers in the area.
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On November 11th at about 4 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue responded to the area above Hills Creek Dam for an overdue hunter with medical issues. After several hours of searching, SAR personnel located the hunter and provided initial medical care. He was hypothermic and transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
The hunter’s dog, an older Rhodesian Ridgeback named Sedona, has not been located despite several follow up searches by concerned SAR volunteers, family members, and friends. Please keep watch for Sedona in the area of Hills Creek Reservoir and contact the Lane County Sheriff’s Office at 541-682-4141 if she is located.
On November 14th at about 4:30 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 200 block of S. 10th St., Creswell, for a report of a physical dispute with a shot fired. No one was injured, however during the investigation deputies found evidence a firearm had been used.
Deputies arrested Douglas Glenn Vertrees, 63, of Creswell, for Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Disorderly Conduct in the 2nd Degree.
Another person involved in the dispute, Rebecca Leanne Huse, 38, was arrested on a warrants for:
- Failure to Appear – Possession of Methamphetamine, out of Lane County Circuit Court
- Failure to Appear – Criminal Trespass in the 2nd Degree and Giving false Information to a Police Officer, out of Eugene Municipal Court
Both were lodged at the Lane County Jail.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Oregon State Police for their assistance with this call.
On November 13th at about 7 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the City of Veneta received information a stolen camper trailer was in the area of the 87700 block of Territorial Highway, Veneta. When deputies arrived, they discovered the trailer was occupied by Travos James Bechtol, 30, and Melissa Renee Pederson, 33, both of Veneta.
Deputies arrested both suspects, and discovered additional stolen property inside the trailer. Both were lodged at the Lane County Jail for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. Pederson was in possession of drugs, and was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine.
The investigation into the stolen property is ongoing.
On November 10th at about 8 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a panic alarm in the 100 block of Oakleigh Lane, Eugene. A neighbor also called in to report a stalker, identified as David Ivan Piccioni, 55, had broken into the victim's house. The victim confirmed Piccioni had broken in while they were sleeping.
Deputies converged on the area as Piccioni ran. They quickly arrested him nearby on River Road, and lodged him at the Lane County Jail on the following charges:
- Violating Court's Stalking Protective Order
- Stalking
- Burglary in the 1st Degree
- Menacing
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the watchful neighbors who assisted the victim and deputies in this case.
UPDATE - 11/8/24
The deceased has been identified as Dale Alan Whitlock, 59, of Cottage Grove.
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On Tuesday, November 5th at about 9 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and fire personnel responded to a single vehicle crash in the 34500 block of Row River Road, Cottage Grove. The vehicle, a 1992 Toyota pickup, had left the roadway, overturned, and came to rest on top of the driver in a field. The driver appeared to have been ejected and died at the scene of the crash.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, and the identity of the involved is being withheld until next of kin are notified.
On Friday, November 8th, a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle driving through Veneta at high speed just after midnight. The driver of the vehicle attempted to elude the deputy. Deputies were able to deploy spike strips, deflating one of the vehicle’s tires and slowing it down. A deputy then conducted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) to stop the vehicle in the 80900 block of Territorial Road. Two occupants were initially detained.
The driver, Timothy Robert Graham, 43, of Junction City, was cited for multiple traffic violations and arrested on the following charges and warrants:
- Attempt to Elude by Vehicle
- Reckless Driving
- Reckless Endangering
- Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon
- Warrant for Failure to Appear - Unlawful Use of a Vehicle, out of Klamath County.
The passenger was released and provided with a ride from the scene.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Oregon State Police for their assistance with this incident.
On Friday, November 8th at about 4 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and fire personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Bob Straub Parkway and S. 57th Street. The crash involved a 2023 semi-truck and a 2023 Jeep Gladiator. Initial investigation revealed the semi was driving south on Bob Straub Parkway when the Jeep entered the intersection without braking for the stop sign and struck the side of the semi.
Both drivers were injured. A light pole was knocked down in the crash, and the roadway was closed for about an hour as a tow company worked to tow away the semi.
The driver of the Jeep, identified as Johan Xiomara Gergen Suarez, 45, of Springfield, was transported to an area hospital by ambulance. After investigating, deputies cited Suarez in lieu of custody for Driving Under the Influence.