The Crook County District Attorney has cleared three CERT officers for their use of “deadly physical force” against a Redmond man in a wild high-risk traffic stop earlier this month.
The officers, part of the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team, fired rubber bullets and injured 25-year-old Donald Matthew Freauff during the arrest.
“The careful and tactical use of force in this instance likely prevented injury to fellow officers and passengers in the truck,” said Crook Co. DA Wade Whiting. “The use of less-than-lethal munitions likely prevented significant injury or death to Freauff.”
Whiting’s office was charged with investigating the incident.
The incident happened on Nov. 5th on Highway 26 and Ryegrass Road when the CERT team tried to stop and arrest Freauff on an outstanding parole warrant.
“During the high-risk traffic stop, three officers discharged weapons as Freauff refused to follow commands and attempted to flee the scene by ramming his truck into an armored vehicle and unmarked police car,” Whiting said in his report. “Freauff’s actions placed his occupants and multiple officers at risk of harm.”
Two other people were in the truck with Feauff during the incident.
Freauff was injured by a rubber bullet.
After being treated at the hospital he was taken to the Crook Co. Jail and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, fleeing/attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving and other charges.
“Freauff had an active state-wide felony warrant, a history of high speed eludes with police and is alleged to have pointed a firearm and threatened a police officer in Portland in late October,” Whiting said in the report.
You can read Whiting’s full report below.
Press Release OIS November 2020
