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Early this morning, deputies stopped a car that ran a red light. Shortly after, they located three guns, ammunition, and fentanyl in the car and on the driver.
On Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 12:12 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a 2008 red Chevrolet Impala for running a red light at the intersection of SW Dennis Avenue and SW Oak Street. Once the Impala stopped, the deputy contacted the driver, 25-year-old Jessie Chavez-Echeverria, and learned he had a suspended driver’s license.
During the traffic stop, deputies learned that Chavez-Echeverria was a convicted felon and found a 9mm handgun in the center console. Shortly after, deputies located two additional guns, ammunition, and fentanyl in a bag that Chavez-Echeverria had with him.
Chavez-Echeverria was arrested for three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and a parole violation detainer.
Charges for the fentanyl are pending, and additional charges are likely.
Late yesterday, a community member saw the photo of the bank robber on a local news story and informed deputies that he was staying at a hotel in Forest Grove. Deputies contacted the person at the hotel and arrested him.
On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 8:32 p.m., a community member called non-emergency dispatch and reported they saw a news story on the bank robbery and knew the man was staying at America’s Best Value Inn & Suites in Forest Grove. Officers from Forest Grove Police Department and deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and Cornelius Police Department went to the motel and contacted the man, 70-year-old Craig Haberman, outside of his hotel room and arrested him.
Haberman was transported to the Washington County Jail and lodged on two outstanding warrants – one for an unrelated bank robbery.
The investigation of yesterday’s bank robbery in Cornelius is being transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Cornelius Police Department would like to thank the community for their help in locating Haberman.
Deputies Ask for the Community's Help in Locating Bank Robber
This afternoon, deputies responded to a bank robbery and are now asking for the public’s help locating the bank robber who was recorded on surveillance cameras.
On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 12:09 p.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies serving the City of Cornelius responded to a bank robbery at the US Bank located at 1735 N Adair Street.
After deputies arrived, they learned a man had presented a bank teller with a note demanding money, and the man left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Deputies and Hillsboro Police Officers searched the area for the man but did not find him.
The man who robbed the bank is described as a white male, approximately 70 years old, with white hair and a white beard, about 5’ 10”, and 180 pounds.
Deputies ask community members to contact Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency non-emergency dispatch at (503) 629-0111 if they know the man’s location or have any additional information about him or the bank robbery.
Members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) arrest the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian.
On Friday, March 17, 2023, at 3:48 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a crash involving a pedestrian and a vehicle. When deputies arrived, they learned a person was crossing Tualatin Valley Highway in a crosswalk near SW 178th Avenue when a white 2001 Volvo S60 struck the person and then crashed into a power pole. The pedestrian was killed in the crash.
The driver, 32-year-old Emanuel Starr, was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries and was released a few hours later.
The Sheriff’s Office Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) responded to the scene to investigate the crash. Through CART’s investigation, investigators believe Starr was impaired and driving at a high rate of speed when the crash happened.
This afternoon, investigators on CART arrested Starr for several charges related to the crash, including manslaughter in the second degree, driving under the influence of intoxicants, and reckless driving. Starr was lodged in the Washington County Jail.
The pedestrian’s name is not being released now.
Tualatin Valley Highway was closed for several hours so CART members could investigate the crash and Portland General Electric could repair their damaged equipment.
Members of the Westside Interagency Narcotics team recovered 150,000 fentanyl pills and 3 kilograms of powder fentanyl.
On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Team members received information from Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force (ACNTF) that a car heading for the Portland Metro area was likely trafficking bulk fentanyl.
WIN located the vehicle at a residence and drafted a search warrant. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reviewed a search warrant for the residence that was ultimately granted. The WIN team serviced the search warrant and recovered 150,000 fentanyl pills and three kilograms of powder fentanyl with the assistance of Washington County Sheriff's Office K9 Mando. The estimated street value of the narcotics is $575,000.
The Westside Interagency Narcotics ("WIN") Team is an inter-agency task force comprised of personnel from the Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Oregon National Guard Counter-Drug Program, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As highlighted in the Washington County Sheriff's Office's “One Pill Can Kill” campaign, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to highlight the dangers of fentanyl. A tiny amount of the synthetic opioid in your system can be deadly. Fentanyl is roughly 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Laboratory has found that of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills analyzed in 2022, six out of ten now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
On Friday, March 10, 2023, at 00:29 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy observed a white 2003 Honda Pilot on Highway 47 southbound, entering the city of Gaston at 118mph in a 30mph zone. The deputy attempted to catch up with the vehicle as it entered Yamhill County at now 122mph. The deputy lost sight of the vehicle, and they notified Yamhill County dispatch to inform them of the reckless driver.
A Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office deputy located the vehicle and attempted to stop it. However, the vehicle eluded them and turned north on Highway 47 toward Washington County.
Additional officers from the Forest Grove Police Department and the Oregon State Police responded to assist by placing stop sticks on Highway 47 as it came north towards the city of Forest Grove. The stop sticks were successfully deployed, and the vehicle ran over them at Highway 47 and Anderson Road.
An Oregon State Police Trooper was outside his patrol vehicle on the southbound shoulder removing his stop sticks at Highway 47 and B Street. The suspect vehicle, still traveling at approximately 87mph, crossed the southbound lanes and struck the patrol vehicle head-on.
Deputies arrested the driver, 33-year-old Kevin Flanagan of Gaston, on the following charges:
- assault in the fourth degree
- recklessly endangering another person
- criminal mischief in the second degree
- reckless driving
- driving while suspended
- attempting to elude
- five additional outstanding warrants
A female passenger was also in the vehicle and had to be assisted by deputies out of the vehicle due to the crash. Deputies noted while speaking to the passenger that she had been listening to Washington County dispatch using a cell phone scanner app. The passenger stated that she was pregnant and was transported to the hospital by ambulance for evaluation. There are currently no pending charges for the passenger.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Forest Grove Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.