MAN ARRESTED ON NUMEROUS THEFT CHARGES RELATED TO LOCAL CAR BREAK-INS

 Roseburg Police Dept.

On Monday, October 26th, 2020 just before 0830 A.M., Roseburg Police Officers went to the Howard Johnson motel in Roseburg to attempt to arrest Trask Austin Phelps.  Phelps' probation officer called and reported he received information Phelps was at the motel, and Phelps had an active warrant for his arrest.  

When Officers arrived and tried contacting Phelps at the room, he tried going out the back window.  As he was emerging from the window, an officer could see Phelps was holding a handgun in each hand.  The officer challenged Phelps, and tried to Tase him but the Taser missed, and Phelps retreated back into the room.  Phelps then ran out the front door, but the officers on that side no longer saw him carrying any firearms.  A foot pursuit ensued through several yards and businesses in the area and Phelps was eventually caught hiding under a shed on Neuner Street.  Officers challenged Phelps at gunpoint, and he gave up and was arrested without further incident.

During the investigation, officers learned the two guns Phelps was holding were reported stolen from local car breakins in the Harvard area during the past week.  Officers were able to locate numerous other pieces of stolen property that linked Phelps to several other local car breakins.

Trask Austin Phelps, 35 years of age from Roseburg, was lodged at Douglas County Corrections on the following charges: Unauthorized Entry Into a Motor Vehicle X 5, Felon in Possession of a Firearm X 2, Theft I X 2, Theft II, Theft III, and on an Oregon State Parole Board warrant.  Roseburg Police Detectives are continuing the investigation and are currently applying for a search warrant in anticipation of recovering more stolen property.