K-9 helps find naked man on the run from police

This is a press release from the Oregon State Police

Oregon State Police and Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputies (CCSO) arrested a Gladstone-area man Saturday following a nearly four-hour incident during which he fled an attempted traffic stop on foot in Rhododendron and jumped into the Zigzag River.  The man continued to elude capture until officers found him naked with the help of local citizen and a Portland Police Bureau canine unit.  The incident drew some officers away from their assignments related to the investigation of a quadruple fatal traffic crash on Highway 26 east of Sandy.

On July 7, 2007 at approximately 12:21 p.m. Oregon State Police Northern Command Center dispatch received a report forwarded through Clackamas County 9-1-1 Center of a driving complaint involving a maroon Chevrolet Lumina eastbound from Sandy.  OSP troopers and CCSO deputies were at the scene of a quadruple fatal traffic crash conducting an investigation.  A second report of a driving complaint involving the same vehicle was received ten minutes later when an off-duty Washington County deputy reported a possible DUII driver eastbound from milepost 35.

Troopers and deputies available to clear the fatal crash investigation left to locate the car.  OSP Senior Trooper Duane Larson spotted the car eastbound near Rhododendron at 12:41 p.m. and attempted to stop it.  The driver made a U-turn and was beginning to attempt to elude westbound.  As officers at the crash scene began to set up barriers to prevent the eluding vehicle entering the crash scene, the driver stopped on the west end of Rhododendron behind a fenced area.  He got out of the car and fled to the Zigzag River where he waded in and with Senior Trooper Larson pursuing him on foot as he crossed the river.  The suspect got into the water again and floated downstream with officers trying to keep him in sight.  As the suspect floated downstream he made obscene hand gestures at officers, who subsequently lost sight of him.

A canine unit from Molalla Police Department arrived to assist with the search but was unable to locate the suspect and began to tire.  At approximately 2:45 p.m. a local resident who was aware of the search reported that a wet, naked man came to his home.  The residents gave him a towel and told him to turn himself in, but he walked off.  The resident called 911 to report the sighting.

OSP requested a replacement canine unit respond.  Portland Police Bureau sent a canine unit, and with their assistance the suspect was found about 30 minutes later between U.S. Forest Service Road No. 9 and the Zigzag River at 4:20 p.m. and taken into custody.

The suspect, Bradley Phillip Heinecke, 43, of Gladstone, was lodged in the Clackamas County Jail for DUII, Felony Attempt to Elude in a Vehicle, Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude on Foot, Misdemeanor Driving While Suspended, Reckless Driving, Escape in the Third Degree and Probation Violation.