A Bend man wanted on weapons charges surrendered peacefully Saturday after a three-hour standoff with officers.
The incident started just after noon on Saturday when officers received information that a suspect in several recent cases involving a firearm was inside a home on NW Colorado Avenue – across the street from Market of Choice.
Lt. Clint Burleigh said 36-year-old Mackenzie Burton Now was suspected of being in possession of a stolen handgun, which was found last week with more than 26 grams of suspected heroin.
The information led officers to the home on Colorado where the Central Oregon Emergency Response team was activated due to the nature of the investigation and presence of firearms, Burleigh said.
Oregon State Police troopers and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies also responded to the scene.
Several local streets were blocked and neighbors were asked to stay inside during the incident.
Crisis negotiators were able to make contact with Now and he agreed to come out of the home around 3:15, Burleigh said.
Now was jailed on several charges including first-degree theft, felon in possession of a firearm, first-degree burglary, and possession of a controlled substance.
A Bend man was arrested Friday morning after allegedly shooting his adult son during an argument at a homeless camp, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Jayson Janes said deputies responded to a camp off China Hat Road after a reported shooting around 11 a.m.
The caller said 57-year-old Dwanye Dittmer shot his adult son.
Deputies responded to the area and talked to the people involved, Janes said.
The victim, a 21-year-old man, was taken to St. Charles in Bend with non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives ended up serving a search warrant on the trailer where the alleged shooting took place, Janes said.
Based on statements made by the victim, witnesses, and evidence seized at the location, Dittmer was arrested and taken to the Deschutes County Jail and charged with felon in possession of a firearm and negligently wounding another.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Oregon State Police, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, and Bend Fire and Rescue.
A Bend man suspected of two armed robberies and leading authorities on a high-speed chase over Santiam Pass Tuesday night was shot and killed by officers near Gates, according to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting happened around 11:45 p.m. on Highway 22 outside of Gates.
A deputy with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and three Oregon State Police troopers involved in the shooting were not injured.
The wild night for authorities started in Bend around 10:15 when police responded to armed robberies at Dutch Bros. on SE 3rd street and at Domino’s on SE Yew Avenue.
Bend Police Lt. Juli McConkey said the suspect, later identified as 27-year-old Brad Masters, walked up to the Dutch Bros drive-thru window, showed a gun and demanded money before running away.
Masters then went into the Domino’s, showed the gun, demanded money and stole a car from an employee.
A Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on the Bend Parkway nearby and saw the stolen car driving south and speeding.
The deputy tried to stop the car but lost it in the area of Romaine Village.
Mugshot from July 2020
As a perimeter was being set up in the area, another deputy watching Highway 20 just west of Tumalo spotted the stolen car pass by him going between 90 and 100 mph, McConkey said.
The deputy was able to catch up to the car and tried to pull it over, but Masters kept going west on Highway 20 where the deputy stopped the chase as he got close to Sisters.
A Black Butte Police Officer east of Sisters set up spike strips, but Masters was able to drive around them.
Once the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Deputy was west of Sisters, he resumed the chase until he reached the county line.
McConkey said the deputy was alone at the time so he decided to end the pursuit.
A short time later, deputies from Linn County and Oregon State Troopers spotted Masters on Highway 22.
Oregon State Police Troopers and a Linn County deputy took over the pursuit until the car was finally stopped with spike strips near Gates.
Once stopped, Masters got out of the car, a confrontation ensued, and three troopers and a Linn County deputy fired shots, according to Lt. Treven Upkes with the Salem Police Department
The involved law enforcement officers are Oregon State Police Troopers Caleb Yoder, Michael Iacob, and Joseph Sousa, who have been with the Oregon State Police five years and 10 months, four years and 11 months, and three years and 10 months respectively.
The Linn County Deputy Sheriff involved was Brandon Rathelegurche, who has been with Linn County Sheriff’s Office for two years and 10 months.
Each officer has been placed on administrative leave per their respective agency’s policies.
The shooting happened in Marion County and the Salem Police Department is conducting the investigation.
The Bend Police continue to work with the various agencies on the investigation.
Masters has a lengthy criminal record dating back at least to 2010 for various crimes including computer crimes, theft, identity theft, forgery, speeding, and criminal mischief.
A man shot and injured at a home near Drake Park last month was arrested Thursday on burglary and robbery charges.
Officers were called to a reported shooting at a home in the 600 block of Riverfront Street on the afternoon of November 19th.
Bend Police Lt. Adam Juhnke said investigators determined 27-year-old Jordan Thorn had gone to the home of 28-year-old Marshall Rogers for an unknown reason.
Police still have not disclosed the relationship between the two men.
After a brief contact between the two men, police say Rogers shot Thorn at the front door of the home.
After being shot, Thorn drove from the scene but stopped within a block where citizens and responding officers helped him, Juhnke said.
Thorn was found on Riverside Blvd., where he received medical attention for a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen and left arm.
Rogers remained on scene and cooperated with investigators. He has not been charged.
After executing a search warrant, conducting interviews, and examining the evidence, investigators determined Thorn is suspected of committing burglary and robbery against Rogers and another person in the home, Juhnke said.
Thorn was contacted at a local business Thursday and charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Thorn is still recovering from his injuries and was not taken to jail, Juhnke said.
A former hospital worker was sentenced this week to three years probation after pleading guilty to abusing his infant son.
Charles P. Medley was arrested on child abuse charges in April after his 15-month-old son arrived at St. Charles with injuries that included skull and leg fractures and a brain bleed.
He said during sentencing he was stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic when hurt his son.
Medley was initially charged with first-degree aggravated assault, two counts of third-degree assault and three counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment.
He pleaded guilty this week to three counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment.
His probation includes conditions that he attend parenting and aggression control classes. Violating the conditions could result in a four-year prison sentence.
Medley had no prior criminal record, which attorneys said factored into the sentencing recommendation.
Two Bend residents have been indicted on separate child abuse charges, suspected of causing injuries to their infant children.
In March, Bend Police officers and detectives were called to a local pediatrics office regarding injuries – including a broken bone – to a 9-month-old girl.
Lt. Adam Juhnke said the injuries were classified as “non-accidental trauma” by medical staff and reported to law enforcement.
After a lengthy investigation, which included a search of the family’s home on NE Watt Way in Bend, detectives determined the father, Nicholas Jeremy Flores, caused the injuries, Juhnke said.
The investigation was conducted in collaboration with The Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, community partners in the medical field, The Kids Center and the Department of Human Services.
On Nov. 3, a Deschutes County Grand Jury indicted Flores on one count of first-degree criminal mistreatment and one count of third-degree assault.
In a separate case, 33-year-old Kristine Anne Bellinger of Bend was indicted on Oct. 30th on the same charges for allegedly injuring her 6-month-old son, police said.
On April 24th last year Bend Police officers and investigators were called to St. Charles regarding injuries to a 6-month-old infant which included suspicious fractures.
The injuries were classified as non-accidental trauma and required to be reported to law enforcement, Juhnke said.
After a lengthy investigation, including serving search warrants at Bellinger’s home and vehicle on NE Forum Drive, it was determined that Bellinger caused the injuries to her son, Juhnke said.
“The Bend Police Department conducted a top-notch investigation and were aided as always by our dedicated partners at the Kids Center and DHS,” said Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel. “Investigating and prosecuting crimes against children will always be the top priority of my office; it’s comforting to know that the Bend Police Department is staffed with officers who care as much as I do about holding accountable people who abuse kids.”
A Bend man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for his role in a bomb threat hoax at the Deschutes County Courthouse last year.
Kellie Kent Cameron, 32, was sentenced to 21 months and three years’ supervised release for crafting the hoax bomb and phoning in the threat to blow up the building, said US Attorney Billy J. Williams.
As part of his sentence, Cameron was also ordered to pay $43,620.18 in restitution to the Deschutes County Circuit Court, Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, First Interstate Bank in Bend, and Bend Fire & Rescue.
“Constructing a hoax bomb and threatening to blow up a courthouse to interfere with a judicial proceeding, is beyond reprehensible” Williams said in a statement. “Courthouses are the very symbol of justice, safety and fairness in a functioning society, and this unconscionable act not only caused fear, panic and disruption in this community, it jeopardized their sense of safety.”
In September, 24-year-old Jonathan Tyler Allen was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in the hoax.
“Hoax devices cause real-world damage. They cost money for first responders and businesses, and they create fear for those who live and work in the area,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “The device that Cameron built – and the 911 calls he made – did both. If you become aware of a potential threat, we encourage you to contact the FBI or local law enforcement right away,”
Around the same time, Cameron constructed a realistic-looking fake bomb using batteries, wiring, a circuit board, and a fuel filter, among other materials, Williams said.
On July 29, 2019, the pair drove to the courthouse and placed the hoax device on a ramp near the building.
Around 7:18 a.m. the same day, Cameron, who was with Allen, used a cell phone to call 911.
He told the operator, “I just want to let you know that there are two bombs, one’s in the courthouse and good luck finding the other one,” Williams said.
Less than an hour later, Cameron called 911 and repeated his threat using more urgent and profanity-laden language.
The threat shut down and forced the evacuation of the Deschutes County Courthouse, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s office, a bank, and other nearby businesses while first responders rushed to the scene and investigated the threat.
When the device was discovered, a bomb squad, used disabling techniques to prevent an explosion. The device was later dismantled and found to be a hoax.
Allen later threw one of the phones used into a canal to avoid being caught, Williams said.
On August 7, 2019, Cameron and Allen were charged with conspiring to make a threat to damage property and conveying false information and hoaxes.
Cameron pleaded guilty in federal court on August 21 to using a telephone to make a threat to damage a building by means of an explosive.
Bend Police are investigating a shooting near Drake Park.
Police tweeted around 3:30 p.m. Thursday they were working an active crime scene at NW Tumalo Avenue and NW Riverfront Street on Bend’s west side near the Galveston Avenue bridge.
Few details have been released, but the department has confirmed to Central Oregon Daily News one person was shot and taken to the hospital.
We have a reporter on the scene and are working to get more information.
The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team, along with assistance from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, arrested a Bend man Sunday morning for possessing and distributing heroin and methamphetamine.
The arrest of the suspect, 39-year-old Michael Hollibaugh, was the result of a short-term drug investigation. Evidence obtained through the investigation showed Hollibaugh would purchase large amounts of both heroin and methamphetamine and would sell them for profit.
Hollibaugh was arrested during a traffic stop conducted by DCSO. DCSO deputies and CODE detectives found around three ounces of heroin and a half ounce of methamphetamine in Hollibaugh’s car.
Hollibaugh was charged with possession, manufacturing and distributing heroin, and possession of methamphetamine.
A wanted felon on parole was arrested Monday night after allegedly causing a disturbance in a 7-Eleven, fighting with the store clerk and threatening him with a knife, according to Bend Police.
Cpl. Kyle Voll said the incident started around 10:45 when officers responded to a fight at the 7-Eleven on Franklin Avenue.
Witnesses said a man was attacking and punching a store employee. Officers en route learned one of the men tried to use a knife during the fight.
Voll said when officers arrived on scene they found the two men still fighting. Both were detained, but after learning the involvement of the two subjects, the victim was identified and released.
The investigation revealed that 32-year-old Joshua Seeley and a female companion had been in the store creating a disturbance and cursing at employees. When employees asked Seeley and his friend to leave the store, Seeley became verbally aggressive and challenged the employee to a fight, Voll said.
The employee, a 25-year-old man, declined to engage but tried to escort Seeley out of the store.
Once outside the store, Seeley punched the employee in the face, Voll said.
During the fight, Seeley made threats to kill the man and Seeley reached for a knife he had sheathed on his hip. The employee was able to gain control of the knife and took it from Seeley.
A bystander was able to secure the knife and made attempts to separate the two.
The employee was treated for his injuries on the scene by Bend Fire & Rescue. Seeley was arrested and taken to St Charles for injuries sustained during the fight.
Seeley was later taken to the Deschutes County Jail on charges of first and second-degree assault, menacing, and the unlawful use of a weapon.
He was also wanted for Oregon State Parole Board felony warrant.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Bend Police Department at 322-2960.
