An altercation between two Foster area men Tuesday turned nearly deadly when one of the men fired several gunshots into a Sweet Home Police Department vehicle.
Flying glass struck Officer Vic Clodfelter, who was forced to hide behind the vehicle during a two-hour standoff with Michael Peverieri.
Peverieri, 43, remains lodged in the Linn County Jail. He was arraigned last Wednesday and charged with aggravated attempted murder. Bail was set at $1 million.
Police Chief Bob Burford said that at 7:28 p.m. Tuesday, Sweet Home dispatch center received a call from Peverieri alleging that he had been assaulted by Robert Vanhouse and needed medical attention.
According to Chief Burford, Vanhouse lists his occupation as Peverieri’s caretaker. Peverieri had recently reported the theft of medical marijuana from his residence. Oregon allows for a personal caretaker in accordance with the medical marijuana laws.
Officer Clodfelter and a local paramedic team answered the call. As they neared the Peverieri house, they were waved down by Vanhouse who was in the roadway.
“He said Peverieri had a gun and had assaulted him,” Chief Burford said. “Officer Clodfelter had the paramedics examine Vanhouse.”
Chief Burford added, “Officer Clodfelter went to contact Mr. Peverieri and assess the situation. As he pulled in front of the residence he was aware that a gun was involved. Mr. Peverieri was on the front porch in an extremely agitated state.”
Officer Clodfelter left his squad car in the roadway and directed Peverieri to show his hands, Chief Burford said.
“Mr. Peverieri did not comply, stepped back into his residence and came back with an assault rifle,” Chief Burford said.
Peverieri then demanded the officer leave the area, but Officer Clodfelter could not leave the area because he could not get to the driver’s side of the vehicle without putting himself in a direct line of fire, Chief Burford said.
During this time, dispatcher Lisa Davis was monitoring the incident and talking with Peverieri who was charging that the officer was violating his civil rights. He warned the officer to “back off now.”
Chief Burford said the dispatcher was trying to keep Peverieri calm.
Peverieri again threatened the officer to back off, gave a countdown and then shots rang out.
Officer Clodfelter had slid further behind the vehicle away from the house when the shots were fired, looked at his gun hand and saw blood all over it. He didn’t know where the blood was coming from but saw that the passenger side door glass was blown out.
Chief Burford said he and Sgt. George Dominy arrived at the scene within a minute of the shots being fired. Sgt. Dominy opened the rear door of his car and back the vehicle up 54th Street to Officer Clodfelter, allowing him cover and opportunity to climb into the back seat. He was evacuated to the EMTs for treatment.
Sweet Home medics Jim DeMarsh and Nate Burgess were on the scene when the shots were fired.
“We got a call of trauma from a fight,” Burgess said. At the same time an officer was en route. When they arrived, Officer Clodfelter was with the patient. They treated the patient. “As we were treating him, we heard gunfire, and we drove out of the general area continuing to treat the subject.”
After that, Officer Clodfelter came into the back of the ambulance with a cut to his hand from glass.
Donnie Melson, a neighbor, had just gotten home and saw something going on. He was outside when the shots were fired.
“I heard the shots go off,” Melson said. “I just hauled … over the fence over there and got my family out. I wasn’t too scared. I guess what scared me most was I heard Clodfelter saying he was hit, and he was the only officer there.”
Both Linn County and the Lebanon Police Department sent officers to assist at the scene and help evacuate the neighborhood.
“Dispatcher Lisa Davis did a phenomenal job trying to keep Mr. Peverieri on the line. She kept talking to him and kept the line of communication open under very trying circumstances,” Chief Burford said.
Chief Burford said a command post was set up and one of the officers began talking to Peverieri by phone.
“Shortly before 9 p.m., Mr. Peverieri turned off the lights in his home and walked out the back of the house. He was taken into custody by officers without incident. He was unarmed,” Chief Burford said.
Chief Burford said officers had been working under the premise there might have been another person in the home during the incident.
“During our phone conversations with him, Mr. Peverieri had indicated he wasn’t alone,” Chief Burford said.
About 1 a.m. Wednesday, members of Benton County SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) entered the residence and found no one else there.
Chief Burford said that in August 1999, Mr. Peverieri reportedly had a firearm and was threatening to harm himself or others. Officers took his weapons for safe keeping, but were later required to return them.
“We have had many contacts with Mr. Peverieri, but most often as a complainant,” Chief Burford said.
Officer Clodfelter and dispatcher Davis both spoke with a trauma specialist after the incident.
Officer Clodfelter, 31, has been with the Sweet Home Police Department for nine years.
Chief Burford has asked the Linn County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the processing of the incident.
“On the surface, it looks like we did everything by the book,” Chief Burford said. “Officer Clodfelter was in a no-win situation.”