After fleeing from deputies, a Lebanon-area man was taken into custody and died shortly after.
Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies had been looking for Jacob Reginald Bliss, 49, a transient of the Lebanon area, to arrest him on numerous outstanding felony warrants for probation violation and first degree failure to appear on original charges of felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a restricted weapon.
On Tuesday, July 23, at approximately 8:20 p.m., deputies identified Bliss driving a silver Hyundai in Brownsville. The suspect stopped his vehicle and fled on foot near the 1000 block of Kirk Avenue.
Bliss began running north towards a timbered area, and a K9 unit that was on scene was deployed to track him. Deputies and the K9 chased Bliss over fences, across a creek and through brush before he finally stopped running. Multiple deputies were on scene and took Bliss into custody.
Deputies did not use force and the K9 did not have contact with Bliss. Within minutes of taking him into custody, Bliss began complaining of not being able to breathe and collapsed.
Deputies unhandcuffed Bliss and began CPR and the use of Narcan in an attempt to save his life until medics arrived. Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful and Bliss died on scene.
As this was an in-custody death, although only briefly, Lebanon Police Department was asked to investigate the death per standard protocols. LPD is continuing the investigation to determine the cause of death, which is unknown at this time.
Lebanon Local will provide an update to this story after the investigation is complete.