A new arrival to Lebanon is in custody in Linn County Jail after leading Sheriff’s deputies on a pursuit through Sweet Home that ran from Albany to Milepost 48 on Highway 20 on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 14.
Derrick Tyree Smallwood, 28, of Lebanon, was arrested after being tracked down by a police dog in the mountains east of Sweet Home. He was in jail after being arraigned Friday on 17 counts, three of them felonies, with bail listed at $50,000.
According to Sheriff Jim Yon and court documents, a suspect vehicle, a red 2000 Honda Civic with Illinois plates, was involved in a theft of gasoline, valued at less than $100, on Feb. 13 at Porter’s on Hwy 99E in Tangent. On Feb. 14, deputies found the vehicle at 1:38 p.m. at the east side of an Albany McDonald’s with the driver matching the theft suspect’s description.
When deputies tried to contact the driver, Smallwood, about the theft, he put his vehicle in reverse and crashed into the patrol vehicle causing “extensive” damage to the front and passenger side before fleeing, Yon said. Deputies were outside their patrol vehicle when it was hit and were not injured, he said.
According to Yon and case documents, deputies pursued the Honda through Albany and along Knox Butte Road, including a stretch where Smallwood allegedly exceeded 70 mph in a school zone, to Highway 20, where Smallwood headed east. Court documents allege that Smallwood nearly created a head-on collision on Highway 20 and then drove through Lebanon “at a high rate of speed and running through multiple red lights.”
The pursuit continued towards Sweet Home, where Smallwood allegedly nearly collided with a Mustang and led pursuers through town at “about 60 mph.” Near the intersection of Highway 20 and Wiley Creek Drive, he hit a spike strip that had been placed on the highway, which deflated two of his tires, Yon said, but continued on.
The Honda continued, nearly colliding with oncoming traffic, according to court documents, until it finally stopped near Mile Post 48 on Highway 20 east of Cascadia. Speeds during the pursuit ranged between 20 and 85 mph, Yon said.
When the Honda finally stopped, Smallwood got out and ran down a steep embankment, Yon said. An Albany Police Department K-9 unit assisted the deputies. The K-9 was sent to capture Smallwood as he continued to run. He resisted and dragged the K-9 50 yards into the woods before the deputies caught up to them. Smallwood continued to resist and was taken into custody after being tased. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Smallwood is from Georgia, but had been living in Lebanon for the last month.
He was taken to Lebanon Community Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. He is being charged with attempt to elude (in a vehicle), attempt to elude (on foot), failure to perform the duties of a driver (property damage), reckless endangering, criminal mischief II, escape III, reckless driving, resisting arrest, and theft III.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies were assisted by Albany Police Department, Lebanon Police Department, Sweet Home Police Department and Sweet Home Fire Department.