Date: Sept. 17, 2026 
Case #s: 2026-00047023 
2026-00043484 
Incident: Four arrested on assault, sexual assault and robbery charges 

Date / Time of Incident: Sept. 16, 2026 / 6:30 p.m.   
Location: 1900 block of NW Monterey Pines Drive, Bend 

Arrested: Jonah Dawit Crooks, 19-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Assault II, Assault III x 2, Rape I, Sodomy I, Criminal Mischief II, Theft I, Robbery III, Criminal Conspiracy II

Arrested: Jarixtsa Iriani Johnson, 18-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Assault II, Assault III

Arrested: Eldon Wilson Miller, 20-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Assault III, Criminal Mischief II, Theft I, Robbery III, Criminal Conspiracy II

Arrested: 17-year-old Redmond resident 
Offenses: Assault II, Assault III

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, Bend Police and the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team made four arrests in multiple assault and robbery cases and served a search warrant at an apartment in the 1900 block of NW Monterey Pines Drive. 

Jonah Dewit Crooks, 19; Jarixtsa Iriani Johnson, 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile were arrested on suspicion of assault stemming from a physical altercation at a house party in the 1600 block of NE Watson Drive in late July. In that incident, an 18-year-old woman was assaulted by Johnson, Crooks and the juvenile. The 18-year-old victim suffered a broken jaw. 

Crooks was also arrested on suspicion of an Aug. 23 sexual assault at Cassity's Bar on SW Century Drive in Bend. In that instance, a 21-year-old Bend woman reported that she and Crooks were allowed back into the bar after closing to use the restroom. When she entered the restroom, Crooks sexually assaulted her. The victim reported the incident to Bend Police the next day. 

Eldon Wilson Miller, a 20-year-old Bend resident, and Crooks were also arrested on suspicion of committing a robbery in Sunriver. 

When officers executed a search warrant at the apartment on Monterey Pines Drive, they found a commercial quantity of cocaine, as well as a scale and packaging materials consistent with drug sales. They also recovered a 9mm handgun.

Date: Sept. 9, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00050118 
Incident: Bear cub spotted in River Rim neighborhood 
Date / Time of Incident: Sept. 9, 2026 / 2 p.m. 
Location: Area of Wildflower Park, 60955 River Rim Drive, Bend 

At approximately 2 p.m. today, Bend Police received calls from community members who had spotted a bear cub in the area of Wildflower Park on River Rim Drive in Southwest Bend. 

Responding officers briefly located the bear cub in the area at approximately 3:30 p.m., but the cub ran away and has not been seen since. No other bears have been spotted. 

Bend Police have been in contact with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. At this time, Bend Police are asking community members to avoid leaving food (including pet food) or garbage out in the neighborhood, and to keep pets indoors. When walking your dogs, please keep them on leashes. 

If you see the bear cub, do not approach it. In the event of a sighting, please call nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 so Bend Police can coordinate with ODFW and Oregon State Police game troopers. 

Date: Sept. 8, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00049503 
Incident: Multiple riders cited in e-motorcycle takeover-style event 
Date / Time of Incident: Sept. 6, 2026 / 4:51 p.m.  
Location: Area of 90 SW Columbia Street & surrounding neighborhoods 

At approximately 4:51 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, Bend Police received multiple calls reporting a large group of teens who had gathered on e-motorcycles in the Mt. Bachelor Park & Ride parking lot, then taken over lanes of travel to ride throughout town, including in downtown, along Galveston Avenue and other westside roads. 

Callers reported the more than 30 riders were behaving recklessly, doing wheelies and not following traffic laws. 

Officers responded to the area and attempted a traffic stop. Many of the riders failed to stop and rode away from the scene, which is a felony. Officers conducted area checks nearby, and three juveniles were cited. 

Additional e-motorcycles were located hidden at a residence, and the homeowner asked that they be removed. The vehicles were collected as found property.

As the school year gets underway, this is a good time to remind families to know the rules about e-bikes and e-motorcycles. Kids under the age of 16 are not legally allowed to ride e-bikes. E-bikes cannot be ridden on sidewalks. 

Many of the vehicles we are seeing on our roadways travel at speeds above 28 MPH without pedaling. Off-road electric motorcycles that cannot be registered are not legal on city streets, sidewalks or trails in city limits. 

Date: Aug. 31, 2026 
Case #s: 2026-00047773 
2026-00047732 
2026-00047736 
2026-00048155 
Incident: Bend man arrested in string of burglaries, car break-ins 
Arrested: James Thomas Tharp, Jr., 47-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Burglary I, Burglary II x4, Theft I, Theft II, Criminal Mischief I x6, Criminal Mischief II x4

At approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, Bend Police officers responded to an alarm at High Time Vape and Smoke in the 2300 block of NE Division Street. A large rock had been thrown through the front door. Officers cleared the business and did not find anyone inside, but officers noted a display of vape cartridges appeared disturbed, as though someone had taken some of those items. 

About two hours later, at 7:20 a.m., officers responded to a report of an attempted burglary steps away at The Herb Center dispensary in the 2200 block of NE Division Street. Officers reviewed surveillance footage, which showed a man approach the front of the store at about 4:52 a.m. and throw a large chunk of asphalt at the business's window, causing damage. The suspect tried to break another window. The suspect could be seen dropping vape cartridges from his pocket onto the ground before fleeing without getting inside the business. The suspect was wearing a camouflage hooded sweatshirt, baggy pants and distinctive Nike shoes. 

At approximately 10:52 a.m. that same day, officers responded to a report of multiple vehicles being vandalized at a complex near NE Ross Road and Boyd Acres Road. Someone had used large lava rocks to break the windows of five vehicles parked in the area. Nothing was taken from the vehicles. 

At approximately 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, officers responded to a report of a burglary at Third Street Beverage in the 700 block of NE Third Street. The business had multiple broken windows, and damage to the automatic sliding door and sign. The suspect had taken cigarettes and socks from the store, and the front door damage alone was estimated at approximately $15,000. Surveillance footage showed the same suspect, wearing the same clothing as the prior break-ins, gain access to the liquor store around 2:20 a.m. 

Over the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect in all of these incidents as 47-year-old James Thomas Tharp, Jr., and at around 8:49 a.m., officers located him wearing the same outfit as the suspect in the break-ins. Tharp had broken into an unoccupied home in the 300 block of NE Greeley Avenue and was staying there. Officers recovered $900 worth of cigarettes, as well as cigarette racks, socks, a hat and lighters from inside the home. That property was returned to Third Street Beverage.  

Tharp was arrested on suspicion of first-degree burglary, four counts of second-degree burglary, six counts of first-degree criminal mischief, four counts of second-degree criminal mischief, and one count each of first- and second-degree theft. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail. 

Date: Aug. 25, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00047054 
Incident: Teen arrested after pointing a replica handgun during dispute 
Date / Time of Incident:   Aug. 25, 2026 / 1:39 a.m. 
Location:  Westside Village Apartments, 1400 block of NW Albany Ave., Bend  
Arrested: 15-year-old Bend resident 
Offense: Menacing x3

At approximately 1:39 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Bend Police responded to a report of a dispute in which a 15-year-old pointed a gun at a group of teens. 

Officers learned that a 17-year-old got into a confrontation with a 15-year-old over social media. The 17-year-old victim was hanging out with friends in a car outside the suspect's apartment building when the 15-year-old suspect exited his apartment and pointed a gun at each member of the group, using a laser sight.  

Members of the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team responded to the incident, and at approximately 7:38 a.m. officers called the 15-year-old out of the apartment. He was detained without incident.

Officers executed a search warrant on the 15-year-old's apartment and recovered a realistic replica handgun with laser sight. The 15-year-old was transported to Deschutes County Juvenile Community Justice on suspicion of three counts of menacing.  

Date: Aug. 23, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00046630 
Incident: Bend woman shot in accidental discharge, shooter arrested 
Date / Time of Incident: Aug. 22, 2026 / 8:08 p.m.  
Location: 63000 block of Layton Avenue, Bend  
Arrested: Brandon Paul Ferris, 53-year-old Bend resident 
Offense: Assault III, Assault IV

At approximately 8:08 p.m., Bend Police responded to a report of a gunshot wound in the 63000 block of Layton Avenue. 

When officers arrived, they learned that 53-year-old Bend resident Brandon Paul Ferris was in an upstairs bedroom showing a 9mm handgun to a visitor to the home. Ferris mistakenly loaded a live round instead of a training cartridge and when he fired the gun, the round went through the floor and struck a 24-year-old woman sitting in the room below. She was struck in the arm and abdomen.

Arriving officers rendered aid to the victim, who was transported to St. Charles Bend with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Ferris was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. 

Bend Police would like to remind gun owners of the importance of responsible ownership. It is your responsibility to know how to properly handle any firearm you own, and to secure your firearms in a safe manner. Always keep a gun pointed in a safe direction, even when you believe you are handling an unloaded gun. Keep your finger off the trigger – the only time you should touch the trigger is when you are prepared to use it. Never assume a firearm is unloaded – the first thing you should do when you pick up a gun is to check that it is unloaded.

Date: Aug. 20, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00042776 
Incident: Bend man arrested for luring  
Date / Time of Incident:  Aug. 20, 2026 / 12:44 p.m. 
Arrested: Collin Evan Fogel, 47-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Luring Minor for Sexual Conduct, Online Sexual Corruption of a Minor I

On Friday, July 31, Bend Police received a report of a man approaching a 16-year-old girl at a neighborhood pool and asking for her phone number so she could babysit his child. The man, later identified as 47-year-old Bend resident Collin Evan Fogel, began texting the girl, who was uncomfortable with the messages. 

An officer took over the texting with Fogel and posed as the teen. Fogel repeatedly texted sexually explicit messages and images.

At approximately 12:44 p.m. on Aug. 20, an officer posing as the teen agreed to meet Fogel in a parking lot in the 61300 block of South Highway 97. When Fogel arrived, Bend Police arrested him on suspicion of luring and second-degree online sexual corruption of a minor. 

Fogel was arrested and lodged at the Deschutes County Jail.