According to Oregon Live, a man who police say fired on state troopers during a chase along U.S. 26 last fall apparently shot 99 rounds at the pursuing officers from a stolen AR-15 and handgun, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
As Andrew G. DeHart fired at the cops from the back window of his Ford Ranger pickup, other westbound drivers passed him on the coastal highway and were likely unaware of the danger. Eventually, Oregon State Police Troopers Nicholas Cederberg, Jamin VanMeter and Joe Pollard fired 32 rifle rounds in their bid to get DeHart to stop, according to the district attorney’s office.
McKey lauded the police actions, writing that “all of the involved troopers acted professionally and bravely…”
Dr. Larry Lewman, of the state medical examiner’s office, determined DeHart died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. None of the officers’ bullets hit DeHart, Lewman said.
Before the shooting, U.S. marshals and members of a violent offender task force had traveled to Seaside to arrest the convicted felon on an attempted murder and kidnapping warrant.
While the SWAT members headed to Seaside, authorities were already there watching DeHart as he drove to his girlfriend’s apartment and parked his truck. Then he pulled away without getting out, heading out of town east on U.S. 26 and eventually passing the SWAT members.
Trooper Zach Bohince was among them. Bohince switched on the lights and sirens of his patrol car and tried to pull the Ranger over, McKey said. Instead, DeHart sped up and started shooting.
Dozens of rounds were fired at Bohince, McKey wrote, before one struck and disabled his car.
The truck continued for another mile before stopping in the center of the highway. DeHart didn’t respond to police orders, so officers fired one rubber bullet at him and used a Taser an unspecified number of times before they approached, according to McKey’s letter. Police removed DeHart from his truck and saw that he had a head wound.
McKey said the officers rendered aid until medics arrived, and DeHart was taken to Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Beaverton, where he died.
Police searching DeHart’s truck found the AR-15 and .45 caliber handgun, which had been stolen during an August burglary in Oregon City, McKey said. They also found a 9 mm handgun.
Investigators discovered 82 shell casings from the AR-15, 17 from the .45 caliber handgun, and one from the 9 mm pistol, according to McKey. Detectives determined that DeHart apparently fired 99 of the 100 rounds at the police, McKey said.
Toxicology tests later determined that DeHart had a large amount of methamphetamine in his system.