LA GRANDE, Oregon -- Three Idaho men were arrested Sunday after attempting to elude police in a stolen vehicle.
Oregon State Police say that at approximately 10:21 a.m., an OSP trooper stopped a 1990 Chevrolet Silverado pickup for a speed violation westbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 270.
The pickup's driver, Shane R.J. Sawyer, 19, from Caldwell, was detained after OSP discovered the pickup was entered in the National Crime Information Center computer database about 10 minutes before the stop as a stolen vehicle out of Caldwell.
When the trooper detained Sawyer, the center passenger, later identified as Kenneth Dale Bort, 20, from Caldwell, took control of the pickup and fled with another passenger from the traffic stop. Troopers attempted to stop the pickup as it fled at high speeds for more than 20 miles.
As the pickup approached the town of Union, OSP stopped the pursuit due to the high speeds.
At approximately 10:48 a.m., the pickup and two occupants were located in the town of Union. They were taken into custody about ten minutes later with the help of Union County Sheriff's Office.
No one was injured, but approximately 30 feet of ODOT fence was damaged during the early stages of the incident.
All three men were booked into the Union County Jail. Sawyer faces charges of fugitive from justice for a warrant for contempt of court out of Canyon County, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, providing false information to police in lieu of a citation and minor in possession of an alcoholic beverage. Sawyer was also cited to appear for four traffic violations
Bort, the passenger and second driver faces charges of felony attempt to elude in a vehicle, misdemeanor attempt to elude on foot, reckless driving, reckless endangering another person, criminal mischief in the second degree, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, providing false information to police in lieu of a citation and minor in possession of an alcoholic beverage. Bort was also cited to appear for three traffic violations
The third passenger, Pedro M. Oregon, 19, from Nampa faces charges of misdemeanor attempt to elude on foot, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and minor in possession of an alcoholic beverage. He was also cited for two traffic violations.
