About 150 homes in Deschutes River Woods remained without power this morning, the result of a vehicle pursuit that ended when a 14-year-old driver collided with a power pole, according to official statements.
Pacific Power reported the outage left 1,585 customers, the entire subdivision, in the dark for nearly eight hours. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reported the unnamed juvenile in custody and uninjured following the crash. Power should be restored to all affected customers by 9 a.m., according to Pacific Power’s website.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Troy Gotchy reported the pursuit started at 12:29 a.m. on Knott Road near 15th Street when a sheriff’s detective spotted a 1994 GMC Suburban swerving in its lane, then crossing the double yellow center line. The detective signaled the driver to stop near Mountain High subdivision, but the driver sped away.
The GMC accelerated to speeds as high as 80 mph; units from the Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and Bend Police joined the pursuit, according to Gotchy. The GMC collided with a pole at Baker Road and Brookswood Boulevard, downing power lines.
A state trooper and a deputy found the driver, who had fled the scene. A Bend Fire Department paramedic checked the juvenile for injuries, Gotchy reported.
The driver was cited for attempting to elude, a felony, as well as reckless driving, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief and released to his parents, Gotchy report. He reported that alcohol was not a factor in the incident.