At 8:06 a.m. today, November 22, a Bureau of Land Management deputy located a Nissan Maxima inside the city limits, near Dillard Road and Hidden Meadows. The vehicle was a listed stolen vehicle and was occupied. Eugene Police officers were called to assist in apprehending the suspect inside and recovering the vehicle.
In a coordinated effort with BLM, Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Eugene Police, the vehicle was pinned on both sides and the suspect tried to elude, putting officers nearby in danger. Due to officers’ counter movements, the suspect was not successful in fleeing in the vehicle and instead fled the scene on foot into the woods.
The suspect’s resistance, combined with icy and uneven terrain, led to three EPD officers and an LCSO deputy being injured while taking him into custody. Two officers had minor injuries, and a third officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening injury. The deputy was also taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect, Ethan James Joule, age 21, was transported to a local hospital due to a medical condition. Charges in the case are pending.