Oregon Man Arrested Fleeing With Two Children Listed as Missing

Samuel Levi Jemmett is being held on $395,000 bail.

36-year-old Samuel Levi Jemmett was arrested and charged with multiple crimes. Photo: Lincoln County Sheriff

(lLINCOLN CITY, Ore.) - Monday September 13, 2021, at about 10:00 PM, Lincoln City Police Officers were dispatched to the Lincoln City Plaza parking lot, on Logan Road, regarding some suspicious activity that was underway.

It was reported there was a male walking around a vehicle and hitting it with a baseball bat. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make contact with the male at the described vehicle.

The male, determined to be 36-year-old Samuel Levi Jemmett of Oregon City, Oregon, was uncooperative and argumentative with officers and locked himself inside the vehicle.

While at the location, officers noticed there were two juvenile females also in the car.

Further investigation determined that Jemmett was believed to have unlawfully taken two of his children and fled with them about a month prior.

The two little girls, ages 9 and 7, were listed as missing endangered and there was an active court order for them to be taken into protective custody when found.

Officers began trying to negotiate with him in an attempt to get him to safely release the two juveniles.

Jemmett refused to cooperate and started his vehicle. As Jemmett drove away he ran over spike strips that had been previously positioned in the event he attempted to flee with the children.

Jemmett drove out to Logan Road before turning north onto HWY 101.

Officers pursued the vehicle with lights and siren as it fled, but the spike strips had been effective, deflating the two rear tires on the vehicle.

As Jemmett continued driving his vehicle northbound on Hwy 101, a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to stop it by pulling in front of it.

Jemmett rammed his vehicle into the back of the deputy’s patrol car twice before coming to a stop just north of the NE West Devils Lake Road intersection.

Again, Jemmett refused to exit the vehicle and grabbed onto one of the children. Due to safety concerns for the children, officers deployed the Taser and physically extracted him from the vehicle.

Jemmett continued to fight and kick officers as they were removing him, but he was eventually taken into custody.

The two children where immediately taken into protective custody by officers who were not part of the arrest team.

The two girls were taken to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for medical evaluation and later turned over to the custody of DHS-Child Protective Services personnel.

Inside the vehicle officers found numerous used syringes as well as a loaded handgun. The vehicle was later towed from the scene by a local tow company.

After being taken into custody, Jemmett was also transported to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for medical evaluation and treatment of minor injuries.

After being treated at the hospital, Jemmett was transported to the Lincoln County Jail and lodged on charges of:

two counts of Custodial Interference, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Minor, Reckless Endangering, Attempt to Elude Felony, two counts Recklessly Endangering, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Resisting Arrest, two counts of Attempting to Assault Police Officer, and Interfering with Police.

The investigation is still open and additional charges could be filed.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: The Lincoln City Police Department with like to express our thanks and appreciation to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance for their assistance with this incident. We are grateful no serious injuries occurred during the incident.

CHARGES (as of 9/16/21):

ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CRIME (ASSAULT ON OFCR)
ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CRIME (ASSAULT ON OFCR)
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
ASSAULT PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER
ASSAULT 3RD DEG
ASSAULT 2ND DEG
RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING
RESISTING ARREST
INTERFERE W/ PEACE OFFICER
FELON IN POSSESSION OF WEAPON (FIREARM)
ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CRIME (ASSAULT ON OFCR)
ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CRIME (ASSAULT ON OFCR)
RECKLESS DRIVING
ATT ELUDE POLICE OFC-VEHICLE
ENDANGERING WELFARE OF MINOR
ENDANGERING WELFARE OF MINOR
CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE 2ND DEG
CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE 2ND DEG

Source(s): Lieutenant Jeffrey Winn/Lincoln City Police Department; Lincoln County Sheriff's Office