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@LaneSheriffOR
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.
On Monday, November 4th, a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy discovered stolen property for sale online from a recent trailer theft. The seller, Joshua Adam Hemion, 46, agreed to meet with a deputy posing as a potential buyer in the Fall Creek area.
Hemion arrived late, but was met by a deputy and trooper as soon as he stepped out of his car. Hemion was detained without incident, and was found to be in possession of stolen property. He additionally had multiple warrants for his arrest. Hemion was arrested and transported to the Lane County Jail where he was lodged on the following warrants:
- Failure to Appear – Theft in the 3rd Degree, out of Oregon City Police Department
- Failure to Appear – Theft in the 2nd Degree, out of Springfield Police Department
- Failure to Appear – Assault 4 APA, Harassment, False Information to Police, out of Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office
- Failure to Appear – Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree, Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, out of Washington County Sheriff’s Office
The investigation regarding the stolen trailer is ongoing.
On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at about 8 a.m., detectives with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a residence in the 43000 block of McKenzie Hwy. The search warrant was the result of a months-long investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, focusing on child exploitation.
The suspect, William Harold Berry III, was a registered sex offender on post-prison supervision for a prior felony conviction of Unlawful Penetration in the First Degree. Berry was arrested during the service of the warrant. During the search, detectives seized several electronic storage devices, multiple firearms, and body armor.
Berry was transported to the Lane County Jail without incident and lodged on the following charges:
- 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree
- 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office received critical assistance during this investigation from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents, Eugene Police Department ICAC Detectives, the Oregon Department of Justice, and Lane County Parole & Probation.
This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by local 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.
Cooler, wetter weather and hard work by fire personnel are allowing the Lane County Sheriff’s Office to cancel the evacuation notice near Cottage Grove, including all areas previously under a Level 2 evacuation.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the fire personnel from several different agencies who quickly responded to keep the fire away from homes and critical infrastructure.
Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police also assisted firefighters yesterday with thermal drone imagery to view fire activity through the smoke.
Residents are still encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at www.LaneAlerts.org.
The following area near Cottage Grove is at a Level 2 (Be Set) evacuation notification:
- Areas west of Highway 99 between River Road and W. Saginaw Road, including Abbot Lane
- Grimes Road area
Level 2 means: You must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice, and this may be the only notice that you receive.
Public safety personnel cannot guarantee they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Continue to closely monitor your phone, local media and www.LaneCountyOR.gov for information.
An evacuation map may be made available if fire spreads.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at www.LaneAlerts.org.
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Do you have unwanted or expired medications at your home? The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to help community members safely dispose of prescription drugs.
This is a no-questions-asked prescription drug drop off in effort to prevent the unsafe disposal of prescription medications, and to prevent medications from being stolen or abused. Disposing of unused medications by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.
Check your medicine cabinet for prescription drugs that are expired or that you no longer use and bring unwanted, outdated, or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications to the following location for safe disposal:
Where: Veneta Bi-Mart (25126 Jeans Rd., Veneta)
When: Saturday, October 26, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Acceptable items: Prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, drug samples, pet medications, ointments, lotions, and liquid medicines in glass or leak proof containers.
We are unable to accept: Needles, thermometers, bloody or infectious waste, medications from businesses, hydrogen peroxide, aerosol cans, inhalers, and diabetic meters.
During two events held in 2021, over 918 pounds of medications were turned in by community members to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office for disposal.
If you are unable to attend the Drug Take Back Event and you have medications you would like to dispose of, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office has a drug drop box located in the Central Reception lobby in the Lane County Courthouse that is available to accept medications Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding holidays (no appointment necessary).
To find other participating collections sites, visit www.deatakeback.com