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On November 26th, at about 2:45 p.m. Yamhill County Sheriff’s Deputy Carson Bartlett, who was on patrol in the City of Dayton, located an occupied stolen vehicle operating on Ferry Street. He was aware of the stolen status of the vehicle, which was a red 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe, from information shared by another deputy earlier in the shift.
Deputy Bartlett attempted to stop the Tahoe which then accelerated to elude police. A pursuit subsequently ensued which went from the City of Dayton to Lafayette Highway near Ash Road where the Tahoe crashed in a ditch. The adult male driver was confronted by Deputy Bartlett but fled through an orchard on foot.
Deputies pursued on foot and but temporarily lost sight of the suspect until he was seen leaving a nearby driveway in a tan 2001 Subaru Forester. That Subaru was later determined to be stolen from that residence.
A second pursuit was initiated, and the Subaru was followed eastbound on Highway 18. It continued onto numerous county roads and highways, eventually ending up in the northeast area of Yamhill County. Realizing the area they were located, Deputies contacted staff at Ewing Young Elementary School in rural Newberg and ensured students were secured inside due to the pursuit that was approaching the school.
Deputies lost sight of the Subaru on Lewis Rogers Road but were flagged down by a citizen who pointed out the it's direction of travel down a logging road. That citizen also advised that the suspect had stolen a gas can from a logger before driving away. Deputies continued to search for the vehicle on the logging road and found it crashed into a metal gate.
Deputies followed footprints through a vineyard and the suspect was eventually apprehended by a Yamhill Police Officer who was set up for containment.
The suspect was identified as Bradley Ryan Rutherford, 27, of Lafayette. He was transported to the Yamhill County Jail where he was booked on numerous theft and driving crimes as well as reckless driving and reckless endangering. He is being held without bail due to an outstanding probation sanction.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Yamhill Police, Oregon State Police, McMinnville Police, Newberg-Dundee Police, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office.