PUBLIC SAFETY

Man remains at large after pinning deputy with car, sheriff’s office says

A 29-year-old Salem man jumped in a car, pinned a Marion County sheriff’s deputy against his patrol car and drove off Monday morning, the sheriff’s office said in an evening news release.

The agency asked for the public’s help in locating the suspect, Neal W. Wells II, who deputies said remained at large as of Monday night.

Deputy Corey Larned tried to arrest Wells on suspicion of theft shortly before 10 a.m. Monday when he resisted arrest and fled in a red Chrysler Sebring – while pinning Larned between Wells’ car and Larned’s patrol car, according to the news release.

“Deputy Larned was banged up but is going to be ok physically,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.

Wells is described as 5-foot-3 and 135 pounds and was last seen in the area of Northeast Silverton and Fisher Roads, wearing a blue Nike sweatshirt.

“The Oregon plate WEV159 doesn’t belong to the vehicle Neal fled in today and he is well known for putting other license plates from other vehicles and putting them on this one he fled in today,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

The agency said people should not confront Wells if they know his location, and instead call the sheriff’s office at 503-588-5032.

Wells has criminal convictions dating back to 2013, including unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary and theft, court records showed.

Correction: This story originally misstated the year of Wells’ first criminal conviction. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.