EUGENE – On Jan. 7 at 3 a.m., a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy observed a vehicle driving west on Irving Road, Eugene, at more than 60 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. The deputy initiated a traffic stop; however, the vehicle continued to Northwest Expressway and accelerated north to over 100 miles per hour. Deputies coordinated with a Junction City Police officer to place spikes on Prairie Road at Milliron Road.
The vehicle ran over the spikes, and all four tires deflated. The driver, Racheal Anne Katlyn Obert, 30, of Oakridge, jumped from the vehicle as it was still moving.
The vehicle continued into the ditch before coming to a stop. The driver was subsequently detained. During the investigation, deputies discovered suspected methamphetamine in her possession. Following further inquiry, Obert was arrested and booked at the Lane County Jail on several charges: fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer by vehicle, reckless driving, and unlawful possession of methamphetamine (a misdemeanor). Additionally, Obert had a warrant from the Lane County Circuit Court for a probation violation related to a conviction for possession of a stolen vehicle, as well as three warrants from the Springfield Municipal Court for failing to appear in court on two charges of theft in the second degree and one charge of criminal trespass in the first degree.
