2 Burglary Suspects Arrested By Officers With Help From K9s

RALEIGH HILLS, OR — After burglarizing a home and leading police on a chase through West Beaverton, which caused a brief lockout at a nearby high school, two people were arrested and lodged at the Washington County Jail Wednesday, sheriff's officials said.

Cody Christopher Benton, 30, and Lynsey Ann Elvira Picket, 31, received several varying charges for their alleged actions Nov. 1. Both remain in custody in Washington County.

Benton is charged with three counts of criminal trespass and one count of criminal mischief, as well as a probation violation for a previous assault conviction; Picket is charged with attempt to commit a Class B felony, identity theft, and attempt to elude a police officer.

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the events on Nov. 1 began just after 1:45 p.m. when a homeowner called police to report two people inside his vacant property in the 9100-block of Southwest Meadow Lane near Raleigh Hills.

When Washington County deputies arrived at the home, they reportedly witnessed Benton and Picket getting into a car and quickly fleeing, nearly hitting a deputy as they did.

During the subsequent police chase, Benton was able to get out of the car and continue running on foot, officials said. Picket was eventually surrounded by deputies and taken into custody after she reportedly got herself stuck on a dead-end street.

A search of Picket's car turned up ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine, and "numerous stolen credit cards and identifications," police said.

Beaverton K9 Officer Tony Bastinelli and his dog Rizzo reportedly tracked Benton after he got out of the car, with the chase taking them to the area near Jesuit High School, 9000 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. The school was placed on lockout for roughly 45 minutes while Bastinelli and Rizzo searched for Benton, but they ultimately came up empty-handed.

Several hours later, around 5 p.m., a Beaverton Bi-Mart employee called police to report a man had entered the store through the roof and then ran out the front doors. Believing the Bi-Mart runner to be Benton, Officer Bastinelli and Rizzo, along with Washington County Sgt. Danny DiPietro and his K9 Tux, resumed their search.

As the officers and K9s searched, dispatchers at theWashington County Consolidated Communications Agency received numerous calls about a man fleeing through the Raleigh West neighborhood.

Tux and DiPietro finally found Benton hiding in a shed in the 5000-block of Southwest Chestnut Avenue around 6:15 p.m. He was taken into custody and lodged in Washington County along with Picket.

Images via the Washington County Sheriff's Office