Full Notification

Deschutes County Sheriff's detectives investigating Thursday afternoon's robbery and car theft near Cultus Lake Campground in central Oregon have tentatively identified the suspect as JAMES PATRICK POWERS, age 47, a registered sex offender from Idaho. The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot from the victim's vehicle after attempting to elude Oregon State Police troopers westbound on Highway 58 about seven miles east of Oakridge. POWERS was tentatively identified by the victim and state police sergeant. Highway 58 is now open to one lane of traffic being controlled by a pilot car escort while troopers and deputies continuing searching the area.



POWERS was armed with a long barrel firearm as he fled on foot to the north side of Highway 58 near milepost 42. He is described as a white male, 5'10", 220 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. He has a bushy moustache and was last seen wearing unknown colored long pants, camouflage or dark green colored long sleeve jacket or shirt, and a tan colored hat.



Law enforcement officials warn any motorists traveling through the area to not pick up any hitchhikers. Anyone spotting the suspect in the area is asked to immediately call 9-1-1 or Oregon State Police Northern Command Center dispatch at 1-800-452-7888. Anyone with information regarding the suspect's location can call Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Detective Division at (541) 388-6655.



According to the Idaho Sex Offender Registry, POWERS was last registered to a Boise, Idaho address and was convicted in 1981 in California for "Rape with Force & Fear". Information and a June 4, 2010 photograph of POWERS are available on the Idaho website at:



http://www.isp.idaho.gov/sor_id/SOR?id=23102&sz=1259



Previously released information Thursday afternoon from Deschutes County Sheriff's Office indicates on September 16, 201o at about 12:26 p.m. Deschutes County 911 received a report of a robbery and car theft near the Cultus Lake Campground. The 37-year old male victim from Hillsboro, Oregon reported that he had been camping in the Cultus Lake area for the past couple of days and as he was walking out to his vehicle on a Forest Service trail the suspect approached him from behind and called out to him.



The suspect had a firearm and ordered the victim off the trail into the forest where the suspect duct taped the victim's hands to a tree and demanded his keys and wallet. The suspect fled the scene with the victim's keys, wallet, and backpack in the victim's green 1997 Honda Civic.



The victim was able to free himself from the tree and then called 911. He was not injured.

Deputies and detectives from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office along with the Oregon State Police responded to the area in an attempt to locate the vehicle and suspect and to begin a criminal investigation. A U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer also assisted.



At approximately 1:18 p.m. Deschutes County 911 was notified by the Oregon State Police that a sergeant from the Gilchrist office spotted the victim's westbound on Highway 58. The car attempted to elude for a brief distance until went into a ditch at which point the suspect fled on foot.



Highway 58 was closed for about three hours while Oregon State Police troopers and deputies from Lane County and Deschutes County sheriff's offices searched. A campground about two miles east of the search area was evacuated as a precaution. There are very few homes in the area. Oregon State Police SWAT and Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT) are on scene participating in the ongoing search efforts.