Citizen Tip Leads to Arrest in Road Rage Assault

Media reports brought quick tips to police who took the alleged assailant into custody

Lane faces numerous charges in connection to the alleged "road rage" incident in Corvallis Wednesday Photo Courtesy: Corvallis Police

(Corvallis) - A tip from a citizen led to an arrest in a serious `road rage" assault that happened Wednesday.

Lt. Ron Noble with Corvallis Police says the incident started on Highway 20 between Albany and Corvallis.

Charles Lane is accused of beating a man after heated contact between the two drivers on the roadway. A woman and a small child, according to Noble, accompanied Lane. Investigators say that Lane began assaulting the other driver after he stopped at his job site in the 1600 block of NW Garryanna Street. The woman passenger is alleged to have exited the vehicle, a late-model black Explorer, so she could watch.

Police issued an alert to the media with a description of the vehicle, initially believed to be a dark colored Ford Explorer or Expedition. Noble says it didn`t take long.

`After hearing about the assault through the media, a citizen noticed a 1998 dark-blue Ford Explorer in an apartment complex parking lot. The Explorer was backed into a parking spot. The citizen reported the vehicle to the Corvallis Police Department on Friday night." Noble says officers were able to confirm that the vehicle matched the description of the suspect vehicle, including displaying a temporary registration beginning with the characters "A17," something the victim had noted in spite of his injuries.

Although the dealership placards had been removed from the vehicle, Noble says officers learned that the Explorer had been recently purchased from Al Hutchinson Auto Center in Corvallis.

The dealership assisted in the investigation by confirming that Charles Lane had recently purchased the Explorer, according to Noble.

`Through the investigation, probable cause was developed to arrest Lane for the assault on Langston. The Police Department conducted surveillance on the suspect's residence and eventually stopped the Ford Explorer on NE Conifer Blvd. Saturday afternoon. Charles Lane was in the vehicle and was subsequently arrested without incident."

Lane is now lodged at the Benton County Correctional Facility. He is also being held on a probation violation by Benton County Parole and Probation.

Witnesses to the driving incident and to the assault are still being sought by police. Witnesses should contact the Corvallis Police Department at 541-766-6924.

Charles Lane faces the following charges: Assault I - three counts Assault IV - four counts Reckless Endangering - four counts Reckless Driving - one count Disorderly Conduct - one count