Eugene woman arrested for DUII after hit-and-run and short pursuit

Jessica Danielle Tutt, 40, was arrested after a series of collisions and a short pursuit that began near East 24th Avenue and Willamette Street in Eugene on Feb. 13. Police say the Toyota 4-Runner she was driving struck two pedestrian crosswalk signs and a light pole at about 2:28 a.m., and later collided with parked cars as it fled north through central Eugene; she was taken into custody after officers pinned the vehicle on Oakway Road. The case is logged as 26-02221.

City of Eugene officials detailed the initial report: "At 2:28 a.m. on February 13, a caller reported a hit and run crash near E. 24th Avene and Willamette Street. A Toyota 4-Runner had hit two pedestrian crosswalk signs and a light pole and when a bystander went to check on the driver, she fled northbound in the Toyota." That bystander contact and the damage to a light pole prompted multiple 911 calls to Central Lane 911.

"A crash alert from a phone also came into Central Lane 911 around the same time. A 911 call taker called the phone that had sent the alert and spoke with 40-year-old Jessica Danielle Tutt, of Eugene, who advised everything was ok and then hung up. The 911 operator suspected Tutt was intoxicated." Eugene police say the phone call, plus witness reports, shaped officers' response as they tracked the vehicle.

While officers were responding to the pole crash, several callers reported the same 4-Runner striking parked vehicles near High Street and East 18th Avenue. An officer later spotted the vehicle crossing the Ferry Street Bridge and "tried to stop it, but she continued going north." Police pursued the 4-Runner at "30 m.p.h. or below" because of public-safety concerns, then followed it until the driver turned onto Oakway Road.

"When Tutt turned onto Oakway Road and slowly began to pull over, officers pinned it and initiated a high-risk stop procedure. Tutt was initially failing to follow commands, but eventually excited and was taken safely into custody. After further investigation Tutt was arrested on two counts of Hit and Run, DUII, and Reckless Driving." Those charges were listed in the City of Eugene release and echoed by responding officers.

Eugene Police Department handled the arrest and City of Eugene Public Works responded to repair the damaged light pole. Media reports and the city statement do not say whether anyone was injured, whether blood-alcohol test results were obtained, or when formal court filings or an arraignment are scheduled; those details remain to be confirmed by EPD or court records.