Suspected Thief Giving Chase Jumps off Bridge Before Surrendering

The suspect used all of his options to evade capture.

Forrest Frost was arrested after being pursued about 6 hours. Photo: MCSD

(LYONS, Ore.) - Last night, around 7:15 pm deputies were dispatched to a theft from a vehicle at the North Fork Park, located at 24450 North Fork Rd SE. The victims of the theft were alerted by their car alarm and were able to see the suspect and his vehicle as it left the area.

The victims began to chase the suspect who was described as driving recklessly down the North Fork Road toward the city of Lyons.

29-yr old Forrest Frost

At one point during the chase it is believed the suspect fired multiple rounds from his vehicle at the victim's vehicle.

After being shot at the victims stopped chasing the suspect, luckily the victims were not injured and their vehicle was not struck by any of the rounds fired.

A short time later, a Linn County deputy located the suspect vehicle in the Lyons area and again the suspect fled in his vehicle. The Linn County deputy pursued the vehicle back up the North Fork Road.

The chase continued until deputies from the Marion County Sheriff's Office and troopers with the Oregon State Police deployed spike strips which disabled the vehicle.

Once the suspect realized he could not drive any further he stopped his Ford Explorer on the Pioneer Road Bridge and leapt an estimated 30 feet into the Santiam River where he floated down river.

Several hundred yards down river, the suspect swam to shore and fled on foot.

K9 teams from Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Salem Police Department tracked the suspect to a heavily wooded area where he was believed to be hiding.

Due to the heavily wooded and steep terrain, the Sheriff's Office SWAT Team was called in to search the area.

Around 1:00 a.m., Forrest Frost, age 29, of Lyons surrendered to deputies peacefully.

Mr. Frost is currently lodged in the Marion County Jail for the crimes of Attempted Assault I, Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle, Theft II, Robbery 1, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempting to Elude the Police and menacing.

The Sheriff's Office would like to send a special thanks to our law enforcement partners at the Linn County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police and Salem Police Department.

Source: Marion County Sheriff's Office