March 16, 2020 3:20 a.m.
Three people were arrested following the crash of a pickup into the gates of the Sutherlin Police Department on Saturday night.
Police Chief Troy Mills said at just after 10:30 p.m. officers inside the police department heard a loud crash and a heard vehicle accelerating behind their office. Officers ran out of the east side of the building to see a lifted full-size pickup that had crashed through both the entrance and exit gates to the SPD parking lot.
Mills said the vehicle was allegedly driven by 38-year old Michael Hammond, with passengers 27-year old Dominic Pritchard and 38-year old Danielle Yiesley inside. Mills said the pickup briefly got stuck in the fencing then took off east bound on Central Avenue at a high rate of speed.
A Sutherlin officer located the vehicle unoccupied on Garnet Court. Witnesses said the subjects had taken off running on foot. With the assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police, a perimeter was established and a K9 unit was deployed.
Mills said during the investigation, Yiesley, the owner of the vehicle, called in and reported that her pickup had been stolen.
The K9 tracked the subjects to Yiesley’s home. As officers arrived, they found a passenger vehicle attempting to leave which was occupied by Yiesley and Pritchard. They were taken into custody.
A search of Yiesley’s home was conducted and officers found Hammond hiding in the attic of the residence. He was detained without incident.
Hammond was charged with reckless driving, DUII alcohol, two counts of recklessly endangering in the first degree, first degree criminal mischief and for failure to perform the duties of a driver. He was initially detained on $85,000 bail. Pritchard and Yiesley were charged with hindering prosecution. Yiesley was also charged with making a false report.
Mills said the damage to the police department’s parking fence and gates are estimated to be over $20,000.