Willamina man charged in stolen vehicle spree

Tanner Abbott

 [UPDATED 11/4 4:30 p.m.: Official reports originally stated Abbott allegedly first stole his father's pickup truck. That has been corrected, as the pickup was taken from a Willamina residence not related to Abbott.]

GRAND RONDE - A Willamina man was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with stealing multiple vehicles in the Grand Ronde area.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office identified him as Tanner Levi Abbott, 21. He was charged with four counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and one count each of second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree theft, driving while suspended and giving false information to a police office, in addition to a Linn County hold.  He was lodged in the Polk County Jail in Dallas without bail.

Deputies gave this account:

About 11:30 a.m., they were notified  that a 1976 Chevrolet Corvette had been stolen from a Grand Ronde Road residence. Grand Ronde Road divides Highway 18 and 22.

While taking a report at the residence, they were advised that a vehicle was being stolen at that time from a Fire Hall Road residence.

Deputies and Grand Ronde Tribal police officers responded to the Fire Hall Road location. Clifford Sabey reported that he found a male subject driving away in his 2001 Dodge Ram pickup. Sabey gave chase in a Chrysler minivan, cutting off the suspect.

Sabey confronted him, but the man got into the van and attempted to from drive away. Sabey blocked the van with the Dodge pickup to keep him driving away in the van. The man then ran toward a creek on Fire Hall road.

Deputies and Grand Ronde police searched the area and located a male matching the description of the suspect associated with the stolen vehicle reports. He was walking along Andy Riggs Road wearing jeans and no shirt. He was wet.

Andy Riggs Road and Fire Hall Road are located on the south side of Highway 18.

When confronted, he ran and was chased along Grand Ronde Road before being taken into custody.

Abbott gave two fake names while being interviewed by law enforcement personnel.

After he was positively identified, Abbott said he stole a pickup from a Willamina residence and drove to Grand Ronde. Yamhill County sheriff's deputy Derek Trombla took the initial report, and Sgt. Chris Ray said the vehicle was a 1996 Nissan, and it was taken from a Southwest Branson Street residence.

Then he stole a bicycle from a shed on Grand Ronde Road and rode it to where he stole the Corvette.

Abbott said he drove the Corvette to a Grand Ronde Road location, walked to A Ackerson road, on the north side of Highway 18, and stole a Ford F250 pickup.

He drove that vehicle to where he stole Sabey's pickup.