Warrant issued for driver involved in Yachats hit-and-runs July 8

A Lincoln County judge has issued an arrest warrant for a southern Oregon man who was involved in a series of hit-and-run vehicle accidents in downtown Yachats on July 8 and arrested hours later in Coos County.

But Jason W. Rountree of Kerby, Ore. was released from jail July 9 and failed to appear as promised at his arraignment the next day, according to documents in Lincoln County circuit court. Judge Joseph Allison issued a bench warrant July 10 for Rountree’s arrest.

Rountree is accused of eight misdemeanors ranging from criminal mischief to recklessly endangering another person to failure to perform the duties of a driver to reckless driving after driving through downtown Yachats.

Police reports and a probable cause affidavit by Trooper Kelly Katsikis said that about 10:45 a.m. July 8, Rountree’s black Chrysler 300 “drove recklessly into Yachats in heavy summer traffic, tailgating and rear-ending two vehicles before fleeing” south. No one was injured.

One of the victims was able to get a partial license plate of the car, which police dispatch was able to use to help get a second description which it related to police in Florence, according to Katsikis’ affidavit. Florence police saw the vehicle on its traffic cameras at 11:20 a.m. and dispatch alerted its office in Coos Bay. A Coos Bay trooper spotted the car north of Coos Bay and arrested Rountree at 12:15 p.m. Katsikis met the Coos Bay trooper in Florence and took Rountree to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital to be checked before taking him to jail.