Cottage Grove man dies in 1-vehicle crash
COTTAGE GROVE – On Nov. 5 at about 9 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and fire personnel responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 34500 block of Row River Road, Cottage Grove. The vehicle, a 1992 Toyota pickup, had left the roadway, overturned, and came to rest on top of the driver in a field. The driver, Dale Alan Whitlock, 59, of Cottage Grove, appeared to have been ejected and died at the scene of the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Elude suspect arrested on Territorial Highway
VENETA – On Nov. 8, a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a vehicle driving through Veneta at high speed just after midnight. Police said Timothy Robert Graham, 43, of Junction City, tried to elude the deputy, and the deputy conducted a Pursuit Intervention Technique to stop the car in the 80900 block of Territorial Road. Graham was arrested and charged with Attempt to Elude by Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon. He was also arrested on a Warrant for Failure to Appear – Unlawful Use of a Vehicle, out of Klamath County.
Bob Straub Parkway crash investigation underway
SPRINGFIELD — On Nov. 8, around 4 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a two-vehicle crash around Bob Straub Parkway and South 57th Street. The crash involved a 2023 semi-truck and a 2023 Jeep Gladiator. Initial investigation revealed the semi was driving south on Bob Straub Parkway when the Jeep entered the intersection without braking for the stop sign and struck the side of the semi.
Both drivers were injured. The crash knocked A light pole down, and the roadway was closed for about an hour.
The driver of the Jeep, identified as Johan Xiomara Gergen Suarez, 45, of Springfield, was transported to an area hospital by ambulance. After investigating, deputies cited Suarez in lieu of custody for Driving Under the Influence.
Phone scam circulating
COTTAGE GROVE – Over two days, CGPD received roughly a dozen phone calls from concerned citizens who received calls from people claiming to be CGPD representatives.
Citizens report that the caller has even programmed the number to show up on the victim’s phone as the South Lane 911 non-emergency line. On a few occasions, the caller’s name has been shown as a CGPD employee.
The caller typically states that there is a warrant out for their arrest for a missed court date; they have also called requesting numbers of relatives, stating the relative has a warrant for their arrest.
CGPD does not call, text, or email citizens to notify them of recently issued arrest warrants, missed court dates, or demand money owed to the courts. Anyone receiving these calls or requests should not provide any information to them. If you receive a suspected scam call, report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation at ic3.gov.
