LCSO K9 Hektor Apprehends Wanted Cottage Grove Man; Cell Phone Catches Fire

Lane County Sheriff’s K9 Hektor located and subdued a wanted Cottage Grove man who fled deputies and barricaded himself in a shed, and deputies discovered a cell phone in his pocket had ignited during the arrest. The incident underscores risks first responders face and underscores the role of K9 teams in executing out-of-county warrants.

Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the 31800 block of Cottage Grove Lorane Road at 5 p.m. when they were attempting to take 44-year-old Robert David Clark of Cottage Grove into custody on active warrants. Clark faced warrants from Umatilla County for Trespass in the 1st Degree and Theft in the 3rd Degree, and from Morrow County for Trespass in the 1st Degree, Trespass in the 2nd Degree, and Unlawful Entry into a Motor Vehicle.

Deputies contacted Clark at the front door, but he fled out the back door instead of cooperating. A sergeant deployed K9 Hektor to search the area. Hektor located Clark hiding in the shed of a nearby property. Clark refused to exit the shed and attempted to hold the door closed despite warning that a K9 would be sent inside. K9 Hektor entered the structure and apprehended Clark.

During the arrest deputies observed smoke rising from behind the shed door and heard a hissing noise. After Clark was secured, deputies discovered that Hektor had latched onto Clark through a cell phone in Clark’s pocket, and the device then caught fire. Clark was evaluated and cleared on scene by medics, and he was lodged at the Lane County Jail on the outstanding warrants and an additional charge of Trespass in the 2nd Degree. K9 Hektor sustained no reported injury.

For Cottage Grove residents and those along Lorane Road, the episode is a reminder of everyday public-safety operations that often happen near neighborhoods. The arrest involved multiple jurisdictions, with Umatilla and Morrow County warrants brought to bear in Lane County, demonstrating interagency coordination in locating individuals wanted on felony and misdemeanor charges.

The unusual detail of an electronic device igniting during a K9 apprehension raises practical safety considerations for both deputies and residents. While K9 teams remain an essential tool for locating and detaining persons who flee or barricade, the incident highlights the unpredictable hazards of concealed items and the potential for devices to malfunction or ignite when compressed.

Robert David Clark remains in custody at the Lane County Jail on the listed warrants and the additional trespass charge. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office reported K9 Hektor was uninjured. For neighbors, this closure to the event provides immediate reassurance, while the circumstances invite closer attention to how deputies manage electronic devices and other hazards during high-risk entries.