Elgin driver, Baker City passenger arrested after I-84 stop near La Grande
A speeding stop on I-84 west of La Grande ended with DUII and assault arrests for an Elgin driver and a Baker City passenger.
A speeding stop on Interstate 84 westbound near La Grande escalated into DUII and assault arrests for two young adults from Eastern Oregon, turning a routine traffic enforcement contact into a jail booking, a hospital visit and multiple criminal charges.
Oregon State Police said the stop happened about 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, near milepost 265 south of La Grande and Island City in Union County. Troopers pulled over a tan Buick after it was clocked speeding. The driver was identified as 18-year-old Devon Dean Kennedy of Elgin, and the passenger was 19-year-old Marrissa Gale Weston of Baker City.
OSP said Kennedy’s Oregon driving privileges had already been revoked at the misdemeanor level. A later investigation also found Kennedy was impaired by alcohol. Kennedy was lodged at the Union County Jail and charged with DUII, intoxicants and controlled substance, reckless endangering of another person, reckless driving, and driving while suspended or revoked, a misdemeanor.
Weston was charged with assault in the fourth degree, one count classified as a Class C felony and another as a misdemeanor, along with interfering with a peace officer, resisting arrest, giving false information regarding liability insurance, and aggravated harassment. Troopers said Weston charged at a trooper and interfered with the stop, prompting officers to use force to take her into custody.
Weston sustained a facial injury and was taken to the hospital. Two troopers were also evaluated at the hospital for minor injuries and exposure. The Buick was towed from the scene by Captain Hook’s Towing.
The case underscores how quickly a traffic stop on I-84 can move beyond a citation and into criminal court when speeding is paired with impairment and confrontation. For Union County, the stop landed on one of the region’s most heavily traveled corridors, where commuters, freight carriers and local drivers regularly pass through La Grande and Island City.
Oregon State Police says its highway enforcement priorities center on the Fatal 5 driving behaviors: speed, occupant safety, lane safety, impaired driving and distracted driving. The agency’s monthly patrol activities map is updated each month to show calls for service and enforcement action on Oregon roads and highways, a reminder that the I-84 corridor remains under close watch.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
