The Deschutes County District Attorney has cleared a sheriff’s deputy involved in a high-speed fatal car crash earlier this week, saying the crash and death were accidental.
The incident happened Monday on Johnson Ranch Road near Alfalfa around 9 p.m. when the deputy tried pulling over 50-year-old Lisa Peaslee for violations.
According to DA John Hummel, the deputy saw Peaslee driving between 90 and 100 mph at the time and weaving across the center line multiple times.
The deputy suspected the woman of driving under the influence so he turned on his lights and sirens to pull her over.
Hummel said Peaslee failed to stop and continued driving about 90 mph. About one minute later Peaslee drove off the road and crashed into a rock outcropping on the shoulder.
The car rolled and came to rest on the road and Peaslee was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a statement, Hummel said he grieved for the family of Lisa Peaslee.
“Whenever a member of the criminal justice community is even tangentially involved in the death of a person, I personally review the facts of the case, regardless of whether initially, it seems like nothing inappropriate occurred,” he said. “The public deserves to know that every death that occurs during any sort of interaction whatsoever with law enforcement is taken seriously by their criminal justice leaders. After reviewing the circumstances of Ms. Peaslee’s death, I conclude that the Sheriff’s Deputy who initiated the attempted stop of her car acted completely appropriately.”
