Gary Monaco, Guilty of Manslaughter, Arrested in Bend

Monaco had been found guilty of Manslaughter in the First Degree for the 2012 crash that caused the death of Laura Schaefer

Laura Schaefer was driving this Nissan Versa when when she was killed in a head-on collision in May 2012. Photos: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

(BEND, Ore.) - At about 7:50 p.m. On Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, officers with the Bend Police were dispatched to a call of a suspicious male attempting to break into a vehicle and possibly using drugs at 63492 Hunnell Road in Bend.

Gary Monaco

Upon their arrival, police contacted Gary Monaco -- who was found to have a warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in Clackamas County Circuit Court.

On Monday, Nov. 24 Mr. Monaco had been found guilty of Manslaughter in the First Degree and DUII in Clackamas County Circuit Court for the May 14th, 2012 crash that caused the death of Laura Schaefer.

However, Mr. Monaco had failed to appear for court -- so the judge had issued a warrant for his arrest.

Immediately after Mr. Monaco's disappearance, detectives with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Homicide and Violent Crimes unit and officers with the Damascus Police Department began to attempt to locate Mr. Monaco -- but his whereabouts were unknown until he was located by Bend Police.

In Bend, Mr. Monaco reportedly asked the Bend Police officers to remove a large amount of cash he had in his vehicle.

Mr. Monaco was determined to be too heavily impaired by his alleged consumption of drugs to be taken to jail, so he was transported to a local hospital -- where he remained until he was later transferred into the physical custody of the Deschutes County Jail.

A Deschutes County Jail booking photo is attached, as well as an older Clackamas County Jail booking photo.

It is expected that Mr. Monaco will be brought back to Clackamas County after the Thanksgiving holiday.

More background on Mr. Monaco's manslaughter conviction can be found in this Oregonian story:

'Death wobble' defense falls flat; judge finds driver guilty of manslaughter in fatal head-on crash (November 24, 2014): http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2014/11/death_wobble_falls_flat_judge.html#incart_river