February 11, 2020 3:35 a.m.
A Roseburg man went to jail after Douglas County Sheriff’s Office K9 Zoro tracked him down following a vehicle pursuit.
Sergeant Brad O’Dell said Sunday night at about 11:55 p.m. a deputy observed a sedan commit a traffic violation on Meadow Avenue near Kerr Street. The deputy learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen to the Springfield Police Department.
O’Dell said the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver took off. The chase led to Interstate Five where the driver began heading south in the northbound lanes of the freeway. The pursuit was terminated for safety concerns. As the suspect drove in the wrong direction, he nearly struck a responding deputy’s vehicle. A short time later, the vehicle the suspect was driving hit a van and then crashed along the freeway between the Harvard Avenue exit and the exit for the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
O’Dell said the suspect fled on foot. K9 Zoro located the man along the banks of the South Umpqua River.
40-year old Matthew Kelm was taken into custody and initially charged on a total of 23 counts including: attempt to elude police in a vehicle, reckless driving, reckless endangering, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, a felony count of driving while suspended, and for multiple arrest warrants. He was held without bail.
O’Dell said the subjects in the vehicle hit were not injured. DCSO was assisted by the Roseburg Police Department.