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By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News editor
Jeff Flory, a 2000 graduate of
Hood
River
Valley
High School, received a state honor
last week for his actions in a routine traffic stop that was far
from routine.
Flory, an officer with the Beaverton Police
Department, accepted his award in the “Looking Beyond the
Traffic Ticket” awards ceremony Oct. 30 at the Oregon
Transportation Safety Conference at Best Western Hood River
Inn.
Accompanying Flory were his mother, Sharon,
of
Hood
River,
and Beaverton Chief Geoff Spaulding and Capt. Steve Stevenson.
Flory, who completed
Oregon
Police
Academy
training in 2007, has worked for
Beaverton
for two years. He is a former reserve deputy and marine patrol
deputy with
Hood
River
County.
According to the award citation, Flory was
patrolling on
Denny Road
near Highway 217 when he ran a license plate check on a
full-size GMC van. The records check showed that the vehicle was
reported stolen.
Flory turned in behind the vehicle and
followed it and confirmed the vehicle was stolen. He requested
additional units to help make a felony stop. After the driver
was stopped and detained, the vehicle was checked for other
passengers and the back of the van was opened.
Inside, Flory found eight 455-gallon barrels
with several hoses running in and out of them. It was determined
that the barrels were empty and contained residual diesel and
gasoline fuel. The floor of the van had a hole cut through it
and a pump mounted near it.
The setup appeared to be used to pump fuel
from service station underground holding tanks into the
55-gallon barrels inside the van.
In addition to the barrels, Flory found
several power tools, a black bag containing several
miscellaneous keys, several fuel cards from different companies
and a lock-picking kit.
The suspect was charged with possession of a
stolen vehicle and unauthorized use of a vehicle and lodged at
the Washington County Jail.
Other “Beyond the Ticket” awards included
Officer Justin Hedlund, of Independence, who arrested a driver
for possessing 32 grams of cocaine and $11,000 in cash, and
Deputy Eric Sorby, of Lincoln County, who arrested several
people on multiple drug charges after a driver fled and a foot
pursuit ensued.
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