Eugene Stalking Suspect Tosses Stolen Gun During Arrest Struggle

A stalking investigation in Eugene turned significantly more dangerous late March 29 when officers discovered a stolen firearm inside a bag that suspect Dustin Brady Overton allegedly flung during a struggle at the door of a residence on the 3000 block of Barger Drive.

Overton, 33, had been reported for stalking a person he previously knew and for throwing a rock that shattered a window at the victim's home. Eugene Police Department officers traced a possible sighting to the Barger Drive address and responded that night. When an officer knocked on the door around 11:30 p.m., the two briefly struggled outside the house. During the scuffle, Overton allegedly threw a sling-type bag into the home.

Officers secured a search warrant and opened the bag, finding a firearm that had been reported stolen. Overton was taken into custody and transported to the Lane County Jail, where records confirmed he remained in custody as of March 31. Police booked him on four charges: felon in possession of a firearm, theft, stalking, and criminal mischief.

The felon-in-possession count carries particular legal weight. Overton's prior felony conviction bars him from owning or possessing firearms under Oregon law, and that charge is likely to be among the most consequential as the case moves into Lane County Circuit Court, where prosecutors will determine formal charges and schedule court dates.

The Eugene Police Department framed the arrest as the result of an active stalking investigation rather than an incidental encounter. That framing matters because stalking cases involving a suspect with access to a weapon carry a heightened risk of violence for victims. The warrant execution that recovered the stolen gun eliminated an immediate threat before it could escalate further.