Fugitive arrested in John Day after 3 years on the run
By Logan Bagett on Monday, October 3rd, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
GRANT COUNTY – (Press Release from Grant County Sheriff Todd McKinley)
On October 1st the Grant County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a downed aircraft in the Strawberry Mountain area.
A hunter observed, from a long distance, what appeared to be a large aircraft high on the mountain, but no smoke or flame visible.
Ground personnel and a Grant County Air Search aircraft responded to the area, and located what was thought to be the aircraft, was in fact twenty-five vehicles parked near Roads End at the trailhead leading to the south side of Strawberry Mountain.
The volunteer pilots and their aircraft play a vital role here in Grant County, and their efforts are appreciated. The Grant County Air search crew is among the best.
On the morning of the 3rd, multiple warrants were served by Deputies at the Meadowbrook Apartments in John Day on Gene Robert Norland, 39.
Norland was a fugitive out of Malheur County and Payette County in Idaho, and had been on the run since 2019. He was wanted on probation, drug, malicious injury and theft charges.
Norland was lodged at the Grant County Jail awaiting transport to Malheur County.
The Sheriff’s Office has also taken reports of multiple cougar sightings within the City of Prairie City near Prairie Wood Products and in Canyon City near the Hud Housing.
If a cougar or other predator wildlife is encountered in a populated area, please contact the Grant County Emergency Communication Center at 541-575-0195 and report it. The appropriate personnel will respond to deal with it. And as always, defend yourself or others if necessary if the animal is a threat.
