On April 15, 2017, at about 7:00 AM an attempt to stop a 2016 Mazda passenger car traveling northbound at 130 mph in a 55mph speed zone near MP 30 on Interstate 5 in Jackson County was discontinued by OSP for public safety reasons. At about 7:40 AM, the vehicle was later located near MP 60 northbound on Interstate 5 in Josephine County parked along the roadway. When the driver was contacted in the vehicle by OSP in a high risk stop and told he wasn’t free to leave, the driver sped off at a high rate of speed. Again the pursuit was discontinued for public safety reasons. At about 8:00 AM, the vehicle was observed traveling northbound on Interstate 5 in excess of 100 mph near MP 106 in Douglas County by a Myrtle Creek Police Officer and an Oregon State Trooper. A pursuit again was initiated and then discontinued while efforts were made to coordinate with several other police units to utilize spike strips. During this time, the vehicle eventually got stuck behind traffic and stopped in the fast lane near MP 115. The driver was subsequently arrested by OSP without further incident for Felony Elude and Reckless Driving. The male operator of the vehicle, Manoel Batista DOS SANTOS (29) of Los Angeles, was lodged at the Douglas County Jail for Reckless Driving and Felony Elude and was cited for a speeding violation and Felony Elude in Jackson County and Felony Elude in Josephine County. There were no passengers in the vehicle. Where the criminal episode was terminated in Douglas County, OSP was assisted by the Myrtle Creek Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
