February 20, 2022 4:00 p.m. 

A man was jailed after a nearly 50-mile police chase that started Saturday night at 11:30 p.m. and stretched into early Sunday morning.

Sergeant Mike Miller of Winston Police said an officer attempted to pull over a sedan on Main Street near Thompson. It had a vehicle registration that expired in 2018. Miller said the car immediately increased speed and began eluding the officer.

The WPD report said the vehicle continued southbound on Highway 99 to Interstate 5. It then went southbound on the freeway to the Tri City exit. Miller said the sedan then got back on the freeway northbound and continued until the Garden Valley Boulevard exit. The vehicle headed west and turned onto Garden Valley Road heading to the Melrose area.

Miller said the vehicle came to a stop in the 1200 block of Becker Road. The driver, 23-year Santana Villarreal was taken into custody without further incident. He was charged with 4th degree assault, attempting to elude police in a vehicle, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person and for a restraining order violation. Bail was set at $70,000. A female passenger was given a ride to Roseburg where she was released.

Miller said during the pursuit, speeds ranged between 30 and 105 miles per hour with very little vehicle traffic. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Creek Police, Roseburg Police, Cow Creek Police Department and Oregon State Police all assisted in the pursuit. Spike strips were deployed multiple times causing 3 of the sedan’s tires to deflate. Villarreal drove on just the rims for several miles before finally stopping.

Miller said there were no injuries or accidents during the pursuit.