News

On Monday, February 3, 2020, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office joined law enforcement agencies across the state in an effort to educate the public about safety belt and child seat laws, including a recently passed law increasing safety for children under the age of two.

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office will provide interested media with an interview opportunity with Corporal Jeremy Braun, his wife Joy, and Sheriff Pat Garrett.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a hit-and-run crash in the 6900 block of NW Kansas City Road, north of the city of Forest Grove. Deputies learned that an 81-year-old man was getting the mail from his mailbox when a car left the road and struck him.

On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies observed a black 2012 Dodge Charger driving more than 100 miles per hour on westbound Highway 26 near the SW Canyon Road exit. The driver exited the freeway at SW Park Way, where he ran a red light and nearly crashed into a Washington County deputy near SW Baltic Avenue. Two deputies attempted to stop the car, but the driver continued and eventually crashed at SW Barnes Road & SW 118th Avenue.

Over the past several months, two detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit have been investigating 26-year-old Lafayette A. Castillo of Beaverton.  Detectives learned Mr. Castillo used Snapchat and Instagram to pose as a high school student so he could talk with children online. He then met children in person and sexually assaulted them.

On Saturday, January 25, 2020, at 1:09 p.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a bank robbery at the Wells Fargo at 3435 SW 182nd Av. in Aloha.

<br />In September 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating a case of child sex abuse after getting a report of an adult man having sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl.  Detectives identified 32-year-old Ricardo Infante-Perez as the suspect.  As the investigation continued, detectives learned there were multiple underage victims.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, just before 7:00 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on SW Tualatin Valley Highway and NW 341st Ave. A woman driving a 2005 gray Mazda minivan was headed westbound on the highway when the vehicle hit a woman causing very serious injuries.

On Thursday, January 9, 2020, at approximately 11:20 a.m., an inmate in the Washington County Jail assaulted a jail deputy. The assault happened while jail deputies were attempting to move 35-year-old Justin Nathaniel Lugo, of Hillsboro, from an intake holding cell to the jail’s maximum security unit.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrested a total of 63 people during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period of December 13, 2019 to January 2, 2020. The enhanced patrols are done in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), and Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA).

In November 2018, detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were asked to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse involving a specific former faculty member at Catlin Gabel School. Detectives learned that the suspect had died earlier that year and concluded the investigation. At the time, investigators were not aware of allegations involving any other staff members.

On Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 5:05 p.m., deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a reported armed robbery in a parking lot near the Nike Company Store. Deputies arrived less than a minute later and found both parties still on scene in the 3400 block of SW Knowlton Road, near Beaverton.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) investigators executed a search warrant at 2944 NE Moda Way in Hillsboro and a second search warrant at 1218 SE Alder Street in Hillsboro. Both search warrants were the result of a single investigation.

On Sunday, December 29, 2019, just before 11 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a welfare check at NW Cedar Canyon Rd. and NW Killin Rd. near the community of Banks.  A passing driver told dispatch the driver of a blue 1991 Geo Prism was slumped over behind the wheel near that intersection.

On Sunday, December 29, 2019, at 1:16 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a stabbing at a house in the 300 block of SW Devonwood Avenue.  An 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy called 911 and said they had been at the house when they were both stabbed and were on Highway 26 driving to the hospital.

After five days of searching for Ms. Allyson Watterson, the search and rescue operations have been suspended.  Allyson has not been located at this time.  The decision to suspend that phase of the investigation was made after the search and rescue teams spent thousands of search hours covering an area of about 1,600 acres. 

On December 3, 2019, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies booked Michael William Hern, 42, on 26 sex crimes covering a span of more than two decades. Mr. Hern is from the Washington County area, but was last living in Cave Junction, OR. Detectives learned Mr. Hern abused at least seven girls, but due to the statute of limitations can only be charged with abusing six girls at this time.

Isabel Espinoza was located early this morning and is back with her family. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their help.

On Tuesday December 4, 2019, at 9:31 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call near the 8500 block of SW Oleson Rd. regarding a male who was making gun gestures at passing vehicles. When the deputy arrived, he was confronted by 34-year-old Daniel Bean of Portland. Mr. Bean pointed a rifle at the deputy then retreated into his home.

In July and October 2019, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office conducted two child predator stings where investigators posed as children online. As part of those stings, deputies arrested 15 men. During those missions, investigators were chatting with dozens of people and several of those conversations continued over the following months.