A Florence man was arrested early Tuesday morning, Dec. 8, after leading police on a chase through town and hitting a Sweet Home Police Department unit in the process, Police Chief Jeff Lynn said.
Robert Phillips, 33, who gave a Florence address, was arrested on a long list of charges.
Lynn said Officer Bret Adams saw a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban driving east on Long Street at 2:09 a.m. and began following it. When it reached 15th Avenue, the Suburban began traveling eastbound in the westbound lane, Lynn said, prompting the officer to activate his overhead emergency lights.
The Suburban stopped on 18th Avenue, facing north and the male driver, Phillips, identified himself and provided an Oregon driver’s license.
“It turned out it wasn’t his license,” Lynn said, adding that the officer asked the driver to step out and the Suburban sped away.
Two officers pursued the Suburban down 18th to Tamarack Street, where it turned west, then turned on 12th toward Main Street, he said.
“It was going about 50 mph,” he said, adding that the driver ran “a couple of stop signs in the process.”
At the corner of Main and 12th, a log truck heading westbound came to a stop and the driver tried to go around the log truck and wound up facing eastbound on the sidewalk.
“As it did that, it ran into the traffic light pole on the sidewalk there, causing very minor damage,” Lynn said. At that point, the patrol car backed up behind the Suburban in an attempt to block it from leaving, and the Suburban backed into the police unit.
“The Suburban actually rammed into the patrol car a second time and then it was able to continue east down the sidewalk and turn north onto 13th,” Lynn said.
At the north end of 13th Avenue, the Suburban reached a dead end and Phillips jumped out and ran, he said.
“He ran into the briars and brushy area around the tracks.”
A Linn County Sheriff’s canine unit responded and a police dog located Phillips in the 1600 block of 12th Avenue, where he was taken into custody.
Phillips was arrested for attempting to elude, possession of methamphetamine, distribution of meth, distribution of meth within 1,000 feet of a school, fleeing on foot, attempting to assault a law enforcement officer, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, hit and run, criminal trespass, giving false information to law enforcement, using another’s license, and on Lane County warrants for failure to appear on an original charge of possession of heroin, attempt to elude police, and reckless endangerment. He was also cited for driving while suspended.
A female passenger, Chelsie Kelley, 33, also of Florence, was also taken into custody on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant for burlgary and a Florence warrant for theft.
She was also lodged in Linn County Jail.
Lynn said police seized a dealer quantity of methamphetamine, digital scales, packaging material, drug paraphernalia and a small amount of cash.
He said Monday that the front driver’s side of the police vehicle sustained $8,500 in damage and was already in the shop, getting repaired.
The Suburban suffered “substantial” front-end damage from hitting the pole, Lynn said.
He said no one was injured.