CCSO release – Date / Time: August 12th, 2023, around 11:05 pm; Case Number(s): 202300024517; Classification: Burglary followed by Pursuit; Location: Millington Fire Hall and Highway 101; Suspect(s): Chelsea Praus (38); •••Woman arrested on multiple charges after a burglary to Millington Firehall, vehicle pursuit, and attempted vehicular assault on law enforcement••• On August 12th, 2023, at 11:05 p.m., the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a report from a firefighter of Burglary and substantial damage that had been done at the Millington Fire Department located at 62866 Millington Frontage Road, Coos Bay, Oregon. The firefighter told dispatch that while the firefighters were in Curry County assisting with the fire evacuation efforts, the Millington Fire Department had been burglarized and vandalized. Deputies J. Gray and H. Francis responded and observed that several windows had been broken out, both bays had been flooded, and there were several thousand dollars of apparent damage to the firehouse and property. Surveillance footage recovered from the Firehall showed the suspect as a woman with blond hair operating a black wagon-style vehicle. Deputy Gray learned the Coos Bay Police Department was investigating a similar incident involving Bay Cities Ambulance Headquarters, located within their city. Video surveillance in the Coos Bay incident showed the same black wagon-style vehicle. Shortly after Deputies Gray and Francis arrived at the Millington Firehall, the Oregon State Police received a driving complaint of a black Audi wagon in the area of Shinglehouse Road on U.S. Hwy 101 just south of Millington. The vehicle reported to the Oregon State Police with an Oregon license plate of 104MSW matched the description of a car involved in criminal mischief the night before belonging to a Chelsea Praus; the vehicle was a 2007 Black Audi A4. Deputy Gray googled an image of a 2007 Audi A4, which looked identical to the vehicle on the security footage from the Millington Fire Department and Bay Cities Ambulance. Deputy Gray further requested the DMV photo of Praus and noted it appeared to look like Praus in the surveillance video at the Millington Firehall. Deputies Gray and Francis attempted to locate Chelsea Praus and her vehicle. While traveling East on Highway 42, passing Davis Slough cutoff, Deputy Gray observed a car in a driveway with its reverse lights activated. Seeming odd, Deputy Gray decided to investigate further. Deputy Gray pulled onto the property and noticed the gate at the property at 93474 Hwy 42 rammed and severely damaged. Deputy Gray drove up the long driveway to the residence and then located Ms. Praus and her black Audi next to the garage. Ms. Praus was out of the vehicle and throwing items from her car. Upon seeing Deputy Gray, Ms. Praus got in her car, put it in reverse, and rammed the front of Deputy Gray’s patrol vehicle, which contained Deputy Gray and a civilian “ride along” passenger. Deputy Gray could exit his vehicle, draw his weapon and give verbal orders to Ms. Praus that she was under arrest to put the car in park and show her hands. Deputy Francis arrived, and she and Deputy Gray attempted to place Ms. Praus into custody by pulling her through her partially open driver-side window. Ms. Praus was able to get her arm free and quickly accelerated forward behind the residence on the lawn. Deputies Gray and Francis ran back to their respective vehicles to take cover and give chase if needed. Having no place to go, Ms. Praus stopped in the backyard and put the car in reverse; while Deputy Gray was standing on the nerf bars of his patrol vehicle with the door open, Ms. Praus rammed his patrol vehicle again. Ms. Praus pulled forward, stopped, and rammed Deputy Gray’s patrol vehicle in reverse an additional time. Ms. Praus eventually got around Deputy Gray’s vehicle, and a vehicle chase ensued. Deputies Gray and Francis pursued Ms. Praus at speeds up to 85 miles per hour eastbound on Hwy 42. During the chase, Ms. Praus attempted to strike an Oregon State Police Trooper and a Coquille Ambulance head-on. Ms. Praus also tried to side-swipe Deputy Francis. Near milepost 5, Ms. Praus turned around and fled westbound back towards U.S. Hwy 101. At the Junction of U.S. Hwy 101 and U.S. Hwy 42, Ms. Praus attempted to take the off-ramp onto U.S. Hwy 101. Seeing an opportunity to bring this chase to an end, Deputy Francis pulled in behind Ms. Praus, bumping the suspect vehicle with a push bumper. Deputy Gray attempted to get in front of Ms. Praus and block her in. Unfortunately, Ms. Praus could evade being pinned in and continued to flee from police in her vehicle northbound on U.S. Hwy 101. At U.S. Hwy 101 near Coos Sumner lane, the Coos Bay Police successfully placed stop sticks, completely deflating several of Ms. Praus’ vehicle tires. The vehicle stopped near that location, and Praus exited her car and began running easily across U.S. Hwy 101 towards the train tracks, now wearing only underwear. Deputies Francis and Gray gave chase on foot and were able to catch and take Ms. Praus into custody without further incident. Ms. Praus was arrested and transported to the Coos County Jail on the following charges. ORS 164.215 Burglary in the First Degree, ORS 164.365 Criminal Mischief in the Frist Degree, ORS 164.272 Unlawful entry into a motor vehicle x2, ORS 163.185 Attempted Assault 1st Degree x5, ORS 163.208 Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer x5, ORS 163.195 Recklessly Endangering Another Person x8, ORS 811.140 Reckless Driving, ORS 811.540 Fleeing or attempting to elude police officer-felony, ORS 811.540 Fleeing or attempting to elude police officer-misdemeanor, ORS 162.315 Resisting Arrestx2, ORS 164.805 Offensive Littering. Ms. Praus remains in custody.
