A Eugene man faces nearly two dozen charges – including nine counts of reckless endangerment – after a police pursuit through a local bike path yesterday.
Sunday morning visitors behind Eugene’s Valley River Mall were startled when a Nissan Pathfinder drove through, pursued by authorities. An Oregon State Police pickup diverted the Pathfinder, which spun to a stop on an embankment.
In a release, the OSP say they arrested 45-year-old Thomas Wayne Emra, who had a 17-year-old female passenger who was reported missing. The pursuit began when Emra allegedly assaulted her, with Emra then leading police through Eugene, Springfield, and back to Eugene.
“Miraculously, nobody was injured,” said Hank Duren, an acting lieutenant with the Oregon State Police unit in Springfield.
“We’ve had floods of people calling in, so that we can add them to our case file as victims of reckless endangering.”
Authorities won’t say if the teen passenger was the same one reported missing from Coos Bay last Thursday. The Oregon Department of Human Services says one was returned safely Sunday, the day Emra was arrested.
Lt. Duren says Emra was just released from a local hospital, and was lodged in the Lane County Jail earlier today.
Emra faces charges of eluding, reckless driving, reckless endangering (nine counts as of press time), felon in possession of a weapon, kidnapping, coercion, assault 4, PCS methamphetamine, DUI, criminal driving while suspended, tampering with physical evidence, and interfering.
The OSP continues to seek information from people who were present on the bike path behind the Valley River Mall during the pursuit Sunday morning. Witnesses are asked to contact OSP Disptach at 1-800-442-2068 or *OSP(*677.) The case number is #SP22018204.
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