Sweet Home Police arrested two persons in separate incidents last week after they fled on foot.
In the first one, at 7:20 p.m. on Aug. 11, James Tagen, 28, was arrested on multiple warrants. Douglas Riccio, 26, was arrested at about 11:45 a.m. on Aug. 12 on multiple charges.
Police started pursuing Tagen at 12th Avenue when he was spotted riding a bicycle, Police Chief Bob Burford said. The officer knew he was wanted on warrants for failure to appear on unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He also is a suspect in several automobile thefts.
Tagen fled crashing his bike in the 1900 block of Main Street, Chief Burford said. He ran on foot south over a barbed wire fence to Long Street where he cut through driveways and back yards till he got to 2225 Long St.
“Officers entered the residence and arrested Tagen,” Chief Burford said.
Police asked about the bike Tagen was riding, Chief Burford said. He asked police if it were reported stolen and said he had found it in a bush.
So far this year, there have been 46 vehicles stolen in the Sweet Home area. Sixteen of those have been Hondas. Tagen is a suspect in several of the cases.
Tagen was arrested on Linn county warrants for failure to appear on UUMV and failure to appear on UUMV, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and third-degree theft. He was cited and transferred to Linn County Jail.
Acting on a tip from an informant, police went to 1024 Mountain View Dr. to arrested Riccio on outstanding felony warrants.
“The female that opened the door … told officers Mr. Riccio was no longer there and had left,” Chief Burford said. She allowed the officers to enter the home and take a look. An officer went around back while the other “officer encountered Riccio in the residence and ordered him to the ground.”
Riccio refused to comply and jumped through an opening from the kitchen to the living room and ran out the back door where he ran into the second officer, Chief Burford said. The two struggled for a few seconds. During the struggle, Riccio was struck by a baton, but he still would not comply. He got up and ran from the residence.
He ran through the back yards of several residences into Ashbrook Park. Running through more back yards, officers captured him in the back yard of 1103 Mountain View Dr. where he had attempted to hide.
He had an injury to his right hand, a cut most likely caused when he was going over fences, Chief Burford said. He was examined by medics at Sweet Home Police Department then transported by officers to Lebanon Community Hospital where he was treated and released for transport to Lebanon Police Department, which had additional charged. Lebanon transferred him to Linn County Jail.
Riccio was charged with third-degree escape, resisting arrest, a controlled substance offense, second-degree escape and second-degree criminal trespass. He also was arrested on two warrants.