October 23, 2021 3:50 p.m. 

Two people were jailed in an elude incident, with K9 Zoro tracking down one of them on foot, on Friday night.

Sergeant Brad O’Dell of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said at about 10:30 p.m. a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle in the 1100 block of Glenbrook Loop Road in Riddle for traffic violations. O’Dell said the driver failed to stop and attempted to get away from the deputy.

The driver of the vehicle went to the 4,000 block of Glenbrook Loop before making a U-turn. The male continued to the 3,500 block of Glenbrook Loop when he stopped the vehicle and fled on foot. O’Dell said a female passenger took control of the vehicle and continued to elude. The woman, later identified as 34-year old Sierra Thompson of Riddle, was eventually stopped by a Myrtle Creek officer and taken into custody.

O’Dell said K9 Zoro began tracking the male suspect from where he had run from the vehicle. Zoro led deputies to the back of a property near the fence line where the suspect, 36-year old Travis Byrd, also of Riddle, was located hiding in the brush. Byrd surrendered without further incident.

Both were charged with attempt to elude in a vehicle, obstruction of justice, interfering with police, being a felon in possession of a restricted weapon, and for a violation amount of possession of methamphetamine. Byrd was also held for attempting to elude on foot. He was held without bail while Thompson was detained on $75,000 bail.

K9 Zoro has been with DCSO for over two years.