Oregon Deputies Say K9 Bit Through Suspect’s Phone Near Cottage Grove Moments Before It Caught Fire
A Lane County K9 attached to the Sheriff’s Office, who latched onto a fleeing suspect near Cottage Grove through the cell phone in his pocket, is reportedly uninjured, even though the cell phone caught fire.
On Monday, 2 at 5 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies responding to a residence in the 31800 block of Cottage Grove Lorane Road, to look for 44-year-old Robert David Clark, 44, of Cottage Grove, contacted Clark at the front door of the residence. Instead of cooperating, he ran out the back door.
- Jan 26 2026 5 p.m. Deputies contact Clark at a residence near Cottage Grove, he runs.
- Jan 26 2026 Sergeant arrives with K9 Hektor, searches, finds Clark hiding in a shed.
- Jan 26 2026 Clark refuses to exit, K9 deployed, phone in pocket ignites, medics clear Clark.
- Jan 26 2026 Clark booked at Lane County Jail on warrants plus trespass in the 2nd degree.
Clark had multiple warrants for his arrest out of Umatilla and Morrow Counties.
K9 Hektor found Clark hiding in the shed of a nearby property. Clark refused to exit and tried to hold the door closed despite being warned that the K9 would be deployed.
As Clark refused to cooperate, K9 Hektor entered and apprehended Clark. Deputies saw smoke start to rise from behind the door and heard a hissing noise, and, after Clark was in custody, discovered K9 Hektor had latched onto Clark through a cell phone in his pocket, which then caught fire.
After being cleared by medics, Clark was lodged at the Lane County Jail on the warrants and an additional charge of Trespass in the 2nd Degree.