Reckless Driving incident in Burns leads to DUI arrest
By Mindy McKerrall on Friday, September 25th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
BURNS- A local man was taken into custody Wednesday evening following reports of reckless driving near South Elm Avenue and Crane Boulevard.
According to dispatch logs, the incident began around 6:09 p.m. on September 23, 2026, when local resident contacted emergency services to report a white sedan performing donuts (“cookies”) in the area. The resident reported that the vehicle nearly side-swiped two vehicles and noted that the driver had engaged in similar reckless behavior on multiple previous occasions. The incident was captured on security camera footage.
Officers responded to the scene, locating the stationary 1996 Infiniti parked near the intersection of South Elm Avenue and Crane Boulevard in Burns shortly after 6:30 p.m.
Upon contacting the driver, officers initiated an investigation that quickly shifted the nature of the call from a reckless driving complaint to suspected driving under the influence (DUI). Officers requested backup to assist with a field sobriety evaluation.
By 7:20 p.m., law enforcement confirmed that the driver, identified as 44-year-old Bill Earl Needham, was taken into custody. Needham was transported to The Harney County Jail without further incident.
