Editor’s note: The Law Enforcement report is based on information submitted by the Philomath Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police. All calls for service may not be included. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. Individuals are identified in the log only if arrested on felony charges. Juveniles are not identified. People arrested or suspected of crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise.
Philomath Police Department
DAILY REPORTS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 15
• 11:01 a.m. — Police responded to a report of identity theft in the 3000 block of Acorn Court involving a woman who discovered fraud activity using personal information.
• 7:37 p.m. — Police responded to a report of shots heard in the 600 block of South 16th Street. No report was filed.
Other calls: Police responses included a citizen contact at 2:57 a.m. (North 19th Street and Main Street). In addition, police assisted the Benton County Sheriff’s Office on calls at 2:55 a.m. at Southwest 53rd Street and Southwest West Hills Road and at 4:11 p.m. on Highway 20 about 7 miles west of Philomath. PPD reported one traffic stop.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16
• 5:07 a.m. — Police responded to a report of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in the 100 block of North 14th Street. Two hours later, police were informed that the car reported as stolen had not been taken and found in the individual’s parking spot.
• 6:58 a.m. — Police responded to the 200 block of South 15th Street for a death investigation involving an adult male, who died of apparent natural causes.
• 7:22 a.m. — Police responded to a report of assault in the 100 block of North 14th Street involving an argument between roommates over a car battery. One individual was slapped but not injured, police said.
• 10:19 a.m. — Police executed a warrant in the 100 block of North 14th Street. No other details were made immediately available other than a report was taken and assigned a case number.
• 10:27 p.m. — Police responded to a report of screaming for help in the 2100 block of Main Street. No report was filed.
Other calls: Police responses included a report of reckless driving at 6:40 p.m. (Main Street and Newton Street). PPD reported four traffic stops.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17
• 7:03 a.m. — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle at Philomath City Park. An adult male and female who had slept in their cars were advised that the park is closed overnight.
• 7:17 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a cougar sighting in the vicinity of North Eighth Street and College Street. No report was filed.
• 8:32 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a vehicle hitting a deer on Highway 20 about 3 miles west of Philomath. No injuries to occupants of the vehicle were reported.
Other calls: Police responses included trespass at 3:19 p.m. (College Street), trespass at 7:11 p.m. (College Street) and a suspicious person at 7:43 p.m. (Applegate Street). PPD reported two traffic stops.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18
• 12:09 p.m. — Police responded to a report of theft in the 1000 block of Applegate Street. No other details were made available other than a report was taken and assigned a case number.
Other calls: Police responses included welfare checks at 9:23 a.m. (South 12th Street) and 11:49 a.m. (Pioneer Street and North 17th Street). PPD reported no traffic stops.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 19
• 3:01 p.m. — Police arrested a 46-year-old Lebanon man on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants (alcohol .08 through .14) at Pioneer Street and Starlight Way.
• 11:22 p.m. — Police responded to a report of a prowler in the 400 block of South 30th Street. No report was filed.
Other calls: Police assisted other agencies on calls at 7:48 p.m. (North Ninth Street) and 9:12 p.m. (South 26th Street and Newton Street). PPD reported no traffic stops.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20
• No calls of significance were reported.
Other calls: Police responses included a report of threats made at 4:10 p.m. (Chapel Drive) and person assist at 6:10 p.m. (North 13th Street). PPD reported five traffic stops.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
• 12:14 a.m. — Police responded to a report of a grass and car fire at West Hills Road and North 19th Street in a situation that involved the driver and passenger fleeing the scene on foot. PPD assisted the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at the scene. See separate story.
• 7:24 p.m. — Police responded to driving under the influence of intoxicants at Highway 20 and Woods Creek Road. No other details were made available other than a report was taken and assigned a case number.
Other calls: Police responses included a non-911 issue at 12:55 p.m. (Main Street), suspicious circumstance at 1:53 p.m. (Philomath Middle School) and suspicious circumstances at 6:06 p.m. (North 14th Street). PPD reported no traffic stops.
FOLLOW-UP REPORTS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 8
• 9:02 a.m. — Police responded to a report from an individual out for a walk that a bicycle that appeared to be abandoned was found on the corner of 26th Street and Green Street. After confirming from a nearby resident that the bicycle had been there for a long period of time, it was transported to the Philomath Police Department and entered as found property. The bicycle appears to be a youth model blue and red mountain bike (Dynacraft Ech Ridge 18 Speed).
Benton County Sheriff’s Office
RECENT CALLS
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
• 3:59 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of identity theft from a 58-year-old woman who lives outside of Philomath. The woman reported that her name and financial information had been used to open accounts with a power company in Texas.
MONDAY, SEPT. 11
• 2:48 p.m. — Deputies responded to a report of fraud at a Bellfountain Road address involving $54,000 wired to an individual in Hong Kong in an attempt to purchase antique furniture.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17
• 10:30 p.m. — Deputies arrested a 25-year-old Lebanon woman on North 15th Street near College Street on a warrant out of Lebanon Municipal Court. The woman was cited and released.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18
• 2:30 a.m. — Deputies arrested a 36-year-old Philomath man on a misdemeanor driving while suspended charge after a traffic stop on College Street. The man was issued a citation in lieu of custody.
Oregon State Police
FATAL CRASHES
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16
• 11:54 a.m. — Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 84 near La Grande involving a commercial truck and trailer that went through a fence, struck a tree and became engulfed in flames. The driver, Victor Lee Jones, 62, of St. George, Utah, was killed in the crash. The fire spread to a barn and was extinguished by local fire departments.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17
• 5:40 p.m. — Troopers responded to a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 about 4 miles north of Wolf Creek involving a motorcycle that left the roadway, overturned and threw the operator. Caseton P. Burruss, 50, of Eugene, was killed in the crash.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18
• 11:38 p.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle head-on crash on Interstate 5 about 5 miles east of Rogue River involving a Ford Mustang traveling south in the northbound lanes and hitting a Dodge Durango. A third vehicle, a Dodge ProMaster, struck the debris. OSP had been in the process of responding to a report of a wrong-way driver approximately 3 minutes prior to news of the crash. The Mustang’s driver, Charles M. Cole, 85, of Central Point, was killed in the crash. The driver and a passenger in the Durango were transported to a local hospital for what was expected to be minor injuries. The driver of the ProMaster was not injured.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20
• 7:26 a.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash about 14 miles south of Klamath Falls involving a Jeep Cherokee turning onto Highway 97 in the path of a Dodge Ram 1500. The Cherokee’s driver, Marci Ann Maples, 51, of Klamath Falls, was transported via helicopter to Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls where she was pronounced deceased. The Dodge Ram’s driver, who police said attempted to avoid the collision but was unable to do so, was transported to the same hospital with minor injuries.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
• 4:59 p.m. — Troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 34 about 1 mile east of Corvallis involving a Ford Fusion that crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic and hit a Nissan Versa. The driver of the Versa, Jennifer D. Gere, 43, of Lebanon, was killed in the crash. The driver of the Fusion, Jimmie E. Beck Jr., 19, of Newport, was extricated from the vehicle and transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. According to a preliminary investigation, the Fusion was heading west on Highway 34 when it left the fast lane, crossed the center turn lane and drove into the eastbound lane when the collision occurred. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT CRASHES
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
• 12:35 p.m. — Troopers responded to a multi-vehicle crash about 16 miles east of Pendleton. Upon arrival, troopers determined that at least 17 vehicles were involved with three completely destroyed by fire — two commercial trucks and a passenger car. One motorist was transported to a hospital with serious injuries and several others suffered minor injuries. The interstate was closed for approximately eight hours. The investigation indicated that contributing factors to the crash were limited visibility due to fog and vehicle speed.