On Dec. 23 at 5:30 p.m., a driver on Jasper Road near Wallace Creek reported a vehicle swerving into the oncoming lane, almost striking another car, and driving with inconsistent speed. A Lane County Sheriff’s deputy responded and initiated a traffic stop; however, instead of pulling over, the vehicle went off the road, struck a power pole, and continued driving in the ditch for a short distance. The deputy observed signs that the driver, James P. Littlebear Simmons, 63, of Medford, was impaired. After additional investigation, Simmons was arrested for DUII.
On Dec. 23 at 7 p.m., LCSO deputies responded to a single-vehicle crash off Lawrence Road that damaged several mailboxes. The driver continued and was initially followed by a witness. Deputies located the vehicle stopped at a pullout off Clear Lake Road. They contacted the driver, Ethan David Wood, 30, of Springfield, and observed signs of impairment. Wood was arrested for DUII and Failure to Perform Duties of a Driver – Property Damage.
