Driver Crashes into Sheriff’s Office Gate
A Bend man drove through the entrance gate at the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on April 19, crashing into a block wall. A sergeant discovered the crash around 10:45pm, after noticing damage to the vehicle entrance gate. The sergeant found a black truck in the parking lot, with music blaring, and concluded that the vehicle drove through the gate.
According to a press release, Oregon State Police arrived to assist in contacting the driver and took him into custody. Thomas Lee Downs, 38, was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, parole violation and criminal mischief in the first degree.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office estimates the crash caused more than $80,000 in damages.
St. Charles Awards Community Grants
The St. Charles Health System announced April 21 that it’s awarding more than $100,000 to 31 local organizations in Central Oregon. Grants were offered to provide basic needs, sponsor local events and increase a sense of belonging while reducing loneliness and isolation.
One recipient included Hearts Unknown Education, a local nonprofit that supports art and music for at-risk youth. It received $7,500 to expand its programming.
“Many kids need a place to feel like they can be themselves and feel free to express themselves through art and music in an environment where they are appreciated for being themselves,” Nicola Carpinelli, director of HUE, wrote in a press release.
—Julianna LaFollette
50x
—The sage-grouse can inflate its air sacs to 50 times their normal size, from this week’s Natural World “Icon of the Sage: The Greater Sage-Grouse”.
“I’m not alone.”
—What a parent said while attending a new event to help families understand autism in early childhood, from “First-ever Event Helps Local Families” by LeeAnn Kriegh
This article appears in Source Weekly April 24, 2025.
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