A 36-year old Redmond woman was arrested early this morning for drunk and reckless driving after she sped off during a traffic stop for speeding, leading deputies on a chase before ultimately being stopped by a “PIT” maneuver.
According to Sgt. Joe DeLuca and Deputy Ron Brown with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy stopped a tan four-door car for speeding 90 mph at Highway 97 and Deschutes Market Road about 2:45 a.m. May 22. When the deputy got out of his car to make contact with the driver who was later identified as Julie Lesh, 36, of Redmond, she accelerated and sped off north on Highway 97.
Redmond Police joined the deputy in the pursuit, which went west on Yew Ave, then west on Canal Boulevard. The deputy performed a “PIT” maneuver -- short for Precision Immobilization Technique, Pursuit Intervention Technique, or Parallel Immobilization Technique -- on NW 63rd Street near Obsidian Avenue in which the police car forces a pursued vehicle to abruptly turn sideways to the direction of travel, causing the driver to lose control and stop.
Lesh was taken into custody and lodged in the Deschutes County Jail where she faces charges including attempting to elude police, reckless endangering, reckless driving, and driving under the influence of intoxicants.
The reckless endangering charges stem from the fact that Lesh placed the life of her passenger, 49-year old David Graham of Bend, at risk during the pursuit.
There were no reported injuries, and the investigation is continuing, DeLuca and Brown reported.