La Grande domestic call turns into high-speed interstate pursuit

Justin Benintendi, 35, is facing burglary, reckless driving and attempting to elude charges after a domestic disturbance on La Grande’s 600 block of 18th Street escalated into a high-speed pursuit that crossed city streets and Interstate 84.

La Grande police were called at about 11:34 a.m. on April 29, 2026, after reports that Benintendi had forced his way into a friend’s apartment and refused to leave. Officers arrived to find him already leaving in a vehicle, and one officer tried to stop him. Police said Benintendi fled.

The chase moved quickly into dangerous territory on Adams Avenue, where La Grande police ended their pursuit after the vehicle reached more than 60 mph in heavy traffic. From there, Benintendi continued onto Interstate 84, where Oregon State Police reported seeing speeds above 100 mph and attempted their own stop. The pursuit continued in both directions on the interstate, drawing in the Union County Sheriff’s Office as the vehicle raced through traffic.

The chase ended only after the vehicle was disabled and Benintendi was taken into custody by Oregon State Police. La Grande police said they intend to file the local charges, while OSP said it will pursue its own charges as well. The separate investigations mean the case could grow as each agency completes its review of the arrest, the pursuit and the conduct that led up to it.

The incident underscored how quickly a domestic call in La Grande can become a countywide and interstate public-safety threat. La Grande police also operate the Union County 911 Dispatch Center, the county’s public safety answering point, placing the department at the center of emergency response across Union County. Oregon State Police updates its patrol activity data monthly, and the Oregon Department of Transportation maintains crash data tools covering city streets, county roads and state highways, a reminder that incidents like this are tracked not just as criminal cases but as part of a broader roadway safety picture in Oregon.