Attempt to Flee Deputies Leads to Fatal Crash

The first officers on the scene did not realize the suspect was still in the burning vehicle.

Courtesy: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

(MYRTLE CREEK, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers say they are investigating a fatal traffic crash that happened early Sunday morning as an unidentified adult male driving a stolen pickup attempted to elude a Douglas County Sheriff's car for a short distance southwest of Roseburg.

Lieutenant Gregg Hastings with the state police says the pickup crashed into a creek and caught fire, destroying it and killing the driver.

Sunday morning at approximately 3:37 AM, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office received a report of a stolen 1996 Chevrolet pickup with an ATV in the pickup bed from the Myrtle Creek area.

They say that around 3:52 AM, a Douglas County deputy and recruit were set up in the area of Interstate 5 and Highway 42 where they spotted the stolen pickup exiting Interstate 5 onto Highway 42.

"DCSO attempted to stop the pickup but it failed to yield and sped up at a high rate of speed northbound on Carnes Road near Happy Valley Road at speeds near 80 mph in a residential area."

Hastings says the stolen pickup attempted to elude for a short distance until it came upon a dead-end and turned around to head southbound.

"The pickup nearly collided head-on with the avoiding DCSO patrol car and sped southbound for a short distance until it lost control, entered a yard at 150 Creekside Court and drove into a creek."

The pickup jumped the creek and came to rest with the front end in the shallow creek and the rear on the opposite bank where it caught fire.

The deputy and recruit arrived on scene shortly afterward and called for fire response. They reportedly were unaware the driver was still in the pickup at the time.

Douglas County Fire District #2 and Winston Fire Department personnel responded to put out the fire. Hastings says that is when they discovered the stolen pickup's driver was still inside and was deceased.

"OSP troopers and detectives responded to investigate the fatal crash. The driver had no identification and was severely burned, as was the pickup."

Anyone with information regarding the identity of the deceased driver is asked to contact OSP Detective Mike Tabor at (541) 440-3334 ext. 226.