Boiler Bay Beacon
A Waldport man was arrested Monday after fleeing a traffic stop on Highway 101, waving a handgun, and firing shots from his vehicle before a deputy stopped him with a patrol car strike, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said.
The incident began about 12:36 p.m. when a deputy saw a gray Jeep Wrangler driving southbound in the center lane near Milepost 143 in South Beach. The deputy activated emergency lights, but the Jeep failed to stop and continued south while driving recklessly.
Spike strips were deployed near Milepost 153. The Jeep kept going through Waldport. Deputies later saw the driver wave a handgun out the window and then observed gunshots coming from the vehicle south of Patterson State Park.
Near Highway 101 and SW Whitecap Drive, the driver tried to turn around. A deputy struck the Jeep with a patrol vehicle, ending the pursuit.
The driver, identified as 32-year-old Demar Jabary Soto of Waldport, was taken into custody without further incident. He was taken to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital for a medical evaluation, then lodged in the Lincoln County Jail.
Soto faces charges of Attempted Assault I, Attempted Assault on a Police Officer, Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Menacing, Criminal Mischief I, Disorderly Conduct, Reckless Driving, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person.
Oregon State Police is assisting the investigation, which is ongoing. No deputies were injured and no members of the public are believed to have been harmed. Authorities say there is no further risk to the community.
Highway 101 traffic was diverted around the scene.
