Four Hour Search Ends in Arrest on Oregon Coast

(RHODODENDRON, Ore.) - A Gladstone-area man was arrested Saturday after eluding police for almost four hours. They say it began during a traffic stop, the suspect ended up jumping in the river in an effort to escape.

Oregon State Police Lieutenant Gregg Hastings says troopers and Clackamas County Sheriff's deputies eventually arrested 43-year old Bradley Phillip Heincke on numerous charges.

Hastings says Heincke fled an attempted traffic stop on foot in Rhododendron and jumped into the Zig Zag River.

The man continued to elude capture until state troopers found him naked with the help of a local citizen and a Portland Police Bureau canine unit. Sadly, it drew resources away from a tragic event police were investigating.

"The incident drew some officers away from their assignments related to the investigation of a quadruple fatal traffic crash on Highway 26 east of Sandy," Hastings said.

State Police received a complaint over the driver of a maroon Chevrolet Lumina eastbound from Sandy at 12:21 PM. Their Northern Command Center dispatch received a second report through Clackamas County's 9-1-1 Center of a driving complaint involving the same car.

At the time, the troopers and deputies were at the scene of a quadruple fatal traffic crash conducting an investigation.

The second driving complaint involving the same vehicle was received ten minutes after the first, when an off-duty Washington County deputy reported a possible DUII driver eastbound from milepost 35.

Troopers and deputies available to clear the fatal crash investigation left to locate the car, Hastings said.

"OSP Senior Trooper Duane Larson spotted the car eastbound near Rhododendron at 12:41 PM and attempted to stop it."

The driver is alleged to have made a u-turn and was beginning to attempt to elude westbound.

"As officers at the crash scene began to set up barriers to prevent the eluding vehicle entering the crash scene, the driver stopped on the west end of Rhododendron behind a fenced area."

He says the suspect got out of the car and fled to the Zig Zag River where he waded in and with Senior Trooper Larson pursuing him on foot as he crossed the river.

"The suspect got into the water again and floated downstream with officers trying to keep him in sight. As the suspect floated down stream he made obscene hand gestures at officers, who subsequently lost sight of him." A canine unit from Molalla Police Department arrived to assist with the search but was unable to locate the suspect and the dog began to tire.

Portland Police Bureau canine earned his pay during the search

Hastings says that at approximately 2:45 PM, a local resident who was aware of the search reported that a wet, naked man came to his home.

"They gave him a towel and told him to turn himself in, but he walked off. The resident called 9-1-1 to report the sighting."

He says OSP requested a replacement canine unit respond. "Portland Police Bureau sent a canine unit and with their assistance the suspect was found about 30 minutes later between US Forest Service Road #9 and the Zig Zag River at 4:20 PM and taken into custody."

The suspect, 43-year old Bradley Phillip Heincke of Gladstone, was lodged in Clackamas County Jail for DUII, Felony Attempt to Elude in a Vehicle, Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude on Foot, Misdemeanor Driving While Suspended, Reckless Driving, Escape in the Third Degree and Probation Violation.