A multi-agency SWAT operation in Sumpter ended with one suspect in handcuffs after deputies say he broke into an empty house and tried to ride out the chaos in a bathtub. Authorities reported seizing numerous firearms and ammunition from a nearby residence and detaining two juveniles as part of the follow-up investigation. The chain of events started when a homeowner reported two people inside her late father's property and shared video that appeared to show subjects walking off with firearms.
How deputies tracked the suspects
In a press release reproduced by Elkhorn Media Group, Baker County deputies said dispatch received a burglary report on July 21 at about 5:51 p.m. A vehicle that matched witness descriptions, a 1981 Ford F-150, was spotted near the property. Undersheriff Tim Durheim followed the pickup, and officers stopped it on Austin Street. The driver, identified as 24-year-old Preston Thomas Spencer of Sumpter, was taken into custody after deputies learned his driving status was suspended, according to the release. The passenger, 29-year-old Joshua James Toms of Ontario, allegedly jumped out of the truck and ran off on foot.
SWAT entry and arrest
Baker County officials said in a press release on Facebook that Toms forced his way into an unoccupied residence on Auburn Street. Because of his outstanding warrants and what deputies described as public-safety concerns, the Northeast Oregon Regional SWAT Team was called in. After officers used loud hailers and diversionary devices with no response, SWAT made entry into the home and found Toms hiding in a bathtub. He was taken into custody without further incident, turning the ill-fated hiding spot into the final stop of the search.
Search warrant, seizures and juveniles
On July 22, deputies executed a search warrant at 668 North Mill Street, the house where Toms and Spencer had been staying. Officers reported seizing numerous firearms, ammunition and drug paraphernalia, according to Elkhorn Media Group. Several adults and two juveniles were inside the residence. One juvenile was taken into custody on a failure-to-appear warrant, and the other juvenile, who had previously been reported as a missing or runaway youth, was also located and taken into custody.
About the Northeast Oregon Regional SWAT Team
The Northeast Oregon Regional SWAT Team is a multi-agency tactical unit staffed by personnel from the Union County Sheriff's Office, La Grande Police Department, Baker City Police Department and Baker County Sheriff's Office, according to the Union County Sheriff's Office. The regional team handles high-risk calls such as barricaded suspects and hostage situations and can be deployed by its partner agencies across the area when situations escalate.
Charges and what's next
According to the sheriff's release, Spencer was booked on two counts of driving while suspended, felon in possession and a post-prison supervision violation. Toms is being held on eight outstanding warrants out of Malheur County, Oregon and Ada County, Idaho. Baker County deputies publicly thanked regional partners for their help and said the investigation remains active, with additional criminal charges expected as detectives continue their work.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Baker County Sheriff's Office. This story will be updated as new details are released.
