Author: KTVZ

KTVZ News Team

(Update: Driver arraigned, formal charges)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A late-night crash at the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is under investigation after a truck reportedly drove through the secure vehicle gate on Saturday.

A sergeant on duty noticed the damage at the department’s main office. They eventually found a black truck parked on the west side of the lot, with loud music coming from the vehicle. 

After looking closer, the sergeant determined the truck had barreled through the gate at a high rate of speed before crashing into a block wall.

The driver, Thomas Lee Downs Jr., 38, of Bend, was taken into custody at the scene. He’s now facing several charges, including DUII, reckless driving, first-degree criminal mischief, and violating parole.

Damage to the sheriff’s office is estimated at more than $80,000.

Downs was arraigned Monday afternoon on four Class A misdemeanors – DUII, second-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person.

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KTVZ News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This week, Street Dog Hero donated 500 pounds of dog food to help support pets whose families are facing financial hardship.

The organization also responded to an urgent request from the Humane Society of the Ochocos, providing them with an additional 250 pound donation.

In addition to these immediate efforts, Street Dog Hero organizes monthly dog food banks in Bend and La Pine to help families avoid having to make difficult decisions about their pets.

The next events are scheduled for May 5th and May 15th and are open to anyone in need.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video, comments from voters)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp submitted documents and falsely testified on the witness stand several times about his educational background, claiming to have degrees from two universities he never attended, District Attorney Steve Gunnels said in a detailed report released to KTVZ News on Friday.

Gunnels issued the 34-page investigative report and provided KTVZ News with audio recordings of expert witness testimony less than two weeks after placing van der Kamp on the “Brady list,” a list kept by county prosecutors of law enforcement officers who have been judged untrustworthy due to past testimony and won’t be allowed to testify in future cases.

“Sheriff Vander Kamp, while serving as an expert witness in DUII prosecutions, testified falsely about his educational background, including while under oath. This misrepresentation directly compromised his reliability as an expert in multiple cases,” Gunnels wrote.

Gunnels explained that while van der Kamp’s 2024 Voters Pamphlet educational background was accurate, a prosecutor in his office advised in November that “there may be material discrepancies” between that information and what he testified to in criminal trials.

Bend resident Virlene Arnold said Monday the sheriff will need to gain back the county voters’ trust: “We live in a climate where we’re becoming so distrustful of all our authorities that it’s really incumbent upon him to prove himself to us. “

Robert Sandberg, another Bend voter, had a more blunt view of the recent revelations: “He’s a goner. I’m sorry, but you can’t lie on stuff like that.”

One focus was on a resume-like document known as a CV in which van der Kamp claimed to have received degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona.

Gunnels said he was told by van der Kamp’s attorney last Nov. 12 that the curriculum vitae he submitted in a 2013 trial was prepared by someone other than van der Kamp, and that “he failed to read it thoroughly” before providing it to Oregon State Police or testifying at trial.

But the DA said the same schools and degrees were listed in previous CVs, and wrote that “our investigation established that (he) was never enrolled as a student at these universities, nor did he receive any degrees from these universities.” The report included responses from both schools, confirming that he had never been a student at either.

The report also included transcripts in which van der Kamp testified as to attending those schools while on the witness stand, but that he never provided degrees from either school.

“After a comprehensive investigation by our office, it was determined that Sheriff van der Kamp failed to adhere to ethical and legal standards required by law enforcement officers,” Gunnels wrote.

Here is the full investigative report, released to KTVZ News by District Attorney Steve Gunnels, along with audio recordings of testimony referred to in his report, also provided to us by the district attorney in response to a public records request.

District Attorney Press Release

Audio recording 1 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Sime caseDownload

Audio recording 2 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Sime caseDownload

Audio recording 1 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 2 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 3 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 4 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 5 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 6 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Miller caseDownload

Audio recording 1 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Cline caseDownload

Audio recording 2 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Cline caseDownload

Audio recording 3 of Kent van der Kamp testimony in Cline caseDownload

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For the second year in a row, City of Bend water customers can receive a Turf Replacement Rebate to convert lawns into a low-water landscape. Demand for the pilot program last year exceeded funding available, so the city increased the next rebate budget for this year.

“The City’s Water Conservation program provides innovative ways to help customers save water and money,” officials said in Friday’s announcement, provided in full below.

City of Bend water customers can apply to the new Turf Replacement Rebate program and earn $3 per square foot (up to $3,000) to remove currently planted, thriving lawns into low-water xeriscapes. This water-wise type of gardening conserves valuable water resources.  

“Incentivizing the replacement of water-thirsty plants to low-water, drought-tolerant landscapes can save our customers’ water bills and reduce the overall water demand on our system, year after year,” said Dan Denning, City of Bend Water Conservation Program Manager. “The City’s Water Conservation program helps Bend customers conserve water without sacrificing the High Desert lifestyle they enjoy.”   

Last year, Denning told KTVZ News, “we expended $126,000 on 58 completed projects, which had a calculated savings of 932,315 gallons.

“This year, I have allocated $198,000, hoping to hit closer to 100 projects,” he said, adding that “we currently have 36 approved applications this year.”

During peak irrigation season in the summer, Bend’s water use can escalate to 26 million gallons per day. Through water-saving programs such as this and other rebate and educational campaigns, the Water Conservation program has slowed the daily demand for water, despite the growth in population, industry and tourism.  

The Turf Replacement Rebate program will continue until funds expire, the city says. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis and an application and approval is required. To learn more, visit bendoregon.gov/conservation, go to Rebates and then Turf Replacement Rebate.

Kade Linville

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Bend man was arrested Thursday night by police and the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team on attempted assault and other charges, accused of shooting at people in another car in northeast Bend.

Around 6:36 p.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting that had just occurred near Team Kia of Bend on NE Purcell Boulevard, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.

The report indicated someone driving a gray Audi station wagon had shot at the occupants of a Honda passenger car, then fled the scene.

Miller said responding officers found evidence at the scene to confirm a shooting had occurred. They contacted the occupants of the Honda, which was damaged by gunfire, though no one inside the car was injured.

Officers also were able to determine the were able to determine the identity of the station wagon driver, Tyler Jacob Mendoza, 29, of Bend, Miller said.

Mendoza was located by officials at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of SE Tempest Drive in Bend. Officers investigated the location. along with deputies from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. Members of the Central Oregon Emergency Response (CERT) team arrived and eventually took Mendoza into custody around 9:30 p.m.

Mendoza was arrested and booked into the Deschutes County Jail on felony charges of first-degree attempted assault and unlawful use of a weapon. The handgun used in the shooting was later recovered, Miller said.

Miller told KTVZ News on Friday that there were four people in the victim vehicle and two in the suspect’s. She had no information to share regarding a possible motive.

Initial formal charges filed Friday against Mendoza included the two felonies, along with three misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person. Mendoza was held without bail pending arraignment Friday afternoon, when bail was set at $100,000, according to jail records. He’s scheduled to return to court next Friday for arraignment on an expected formal indictment.

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KGW

(Update: New photo; highway reopened)

By Alex Jensen, KGW

PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW)— One person was taken to a hospital by Life Flight helicopter after a semi-truck hauling hay and an SUV collided on U.S. 26 early Friday morning, closing all of the lanes for several hours five miles west of Government Camp.

Around 6:28 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to the crash with reported serious injuries. The crash is currently under investigation, OSP said. No other injuries were reported. 

The crash occurred near milepost 48, seven miles east of Welches, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.

By mid-morning, one eastbound lane reopened, but all westbound lanes and the eastbound left lane remained closed to let westbound traffic through. The highway fully reopened Friday afternoon, ODOT said.

There were no local detours in the area where the crash occurred.

The semi hauling hay spilled its load in the crash. ODOT told KGW “that’s a major factor in the time it takes to reopen the highway.”

The highway is closed between mileposts 45 and 48. ODOT said special equipment was on the way to clean up the spilled hay, remove the truck and possibly deal with any fuel or fluid leaks. 

Timberline Lodge Ski Resort reported on their conditions page that ski operations Friday morning are impacted due to the crash and resulting road closure. Mt. Hood Meadows said drivers should expect long delays on U.S. 26. If heading up to the mountain to go skiing, drivers should go through Hood River until traffic resumes. 

Track traffic updates on our ODOT TripCheck page.

Lynsey Harris

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A three-legged cat named Moira is making headlines after receiving a rare full hip replacement surgery at the Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon in Bend.

Moira came to the Humane Society of Central Oregon as a kitten with severe back and leg injuries, ultimately losing one leg.

Struggling to move, Moira’s new owner and Dr. Dujowich decided a hip replacement was necessary. To perform the state-of-the-art procedure, the doctor used 3D-printed replicas of Moira’s bones based on her scans.