At around 6:19 p.m. on July 23, a Eugene Police officer on patrol spotted a suspect driving in the Hwy 99N and Roosevelt area who had eluded police on stops during the last few weeks. The suspect, Dillan Paul Prudhomme, age 34, of Glide, had active warrants for his arrest. The officer attempted a traffic stop but Prudhomme immediately drove southbound on Highway 99N. Another officer spotted Prudhomme’s vehicle stopped at a red light on W. 7th Avenue at Chambers Street. The officer attempted to pin Prudhomme’s vehicle from the front as the first officer was also arriving to assist. However, Prudhomme immediately and quickly reversed the vehicle, ran over a sign on the southside of W. 7th Avenue, and then began driving the wrong way on W. 7th Avenue.
An officer attempted to forcibly stop the vehicle, but Prudhomme evaded the maneuver and struck an occupied Kia Optima being driven in the area. Prudhomme continued driving the wrong way in a reckless manner, endangering the public. Another officer pursued Prudhomme due to the dangers posed by his driving and conducted a forcible stop at W. 7th Avenue and Grant Street causing Prudhomme’s vehicle to spin onto the sidewalk near the Kia lot. Prudhomme immediately accelerated and continued driving the wrong way and drove onto the sidewalk on W. 7th Avenue, where a second officer drove up to the driver’s door and pushed it into a high curb, pinning and stopping the vehicle from continuing. Officers conducted a high-risk vehicle stop and took Prudhomme into custody. There was a female passenger in the vehicle. She was cooperative and had only been in the vehicle to get a ride to another location.
Prudhomme was transported to Lane County Jail where he was lodged for Reckless Endangering, Reckless Driving, Elude by Vehicle, Hit and Run, and his felony warrants out of Douglas County.
The driver and passenger of the Kia Optima did not require medical transport for injuries.
Case 23-10768
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