A man was arrested on multiple charges after fleeing the scene of a rollover accident near Lower Cove Road and Kerns Loop in Cove, Union County, on March 19. The Union County Sheriff’s Office said Sean Tyler Hamilton, born Sept. 18, 1988, faces charges including Burglary II, Escape III, Parole Violation and several outstanding warrants from Umatilla County and Washington.
Hamilton’s warrants include charges of giving false information to a peace officer in connection with a Citation/Warrant; interfering with a peace/parole and probation officer; Theft II; Criminal Trespass I; Protection Order violation; and two counts of Assault III. After the accident was reported just after 6 a.m., deputies learned that Hamilton had left the scene before their arrival.
Neighbors in the area began calling dispatch shortly after 7 a.m., reporting sightings of a suspicious male knocking on doors and attempting to enter homes. These reports helped law enforcement focus their search for Hamilton. He was later spotted walking on private property by an Oregon State Police Trooper and a Union County Sheriff’s Deputy. When informed he was under arrest, Hamilton fled but was eventually apprehended in a neighbor’s garage following assistance from additional officers and an area resident who provided his ATV for pursuit.
“This is a wonderful example of the community helping its law enforcement,” said the Union County Sheriff’s Office in its statement. “We want to thank those Cove community members who called dispatch, and especially the ATV owner who helped the deputy get to the suspect.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office functions as the main law enforcement agency for Union County residents by providing patrol operations, corrections services at its facility with capacity for up to 37 inmates, search-and-rescue efforts through an all-volunteer team responding to wilderness emergencies, youth outreach programs such as school resource officers and water safety education initiatives according to its official website. The office operates out of administrative headquarters in La Grande while collaborating with other groups for public safety programs like animal control according to its official website.
The Sheriff’s Office states it aims to deliver professional law enforcement characterized by honesty, excellence, respect, integrity, firmness, fairness, compassion and valor according to its official website.
