A dispute over loud music turned violent Saturday night in Eugene, where police say a 45-year-old Portland man smashed through a home’s front door and attacked two people inside with a makeshift bat that had a nail sticking out of it. The man, identified by police as Derek Edmond Heiner, was taken into custody and later threatened officers while being booked into jail, according to investigators.
Officers responded at 9:08 p.m. on Nov. 7 to an assault report in the 1700 block of Alder Street, according to KPTV. Police said Heiner broke a glass pane in the home’s front door with the bat before striking two people inside. He had reportedly threatened the group over the noise, warning them to turn down the music or he would kill them, according to NBC16.
Suspect Confronted by Patrol Car in Driveway
By the time officers arrived, Heiner had already left the home. He later approached a patrol car sitting in the driveway and was taken into custody there, the station’s report states. Witnesses and the people who were struck identified him as the suspect, and officers recovered the bat nearby.
Heiner was booked into Lane County Jail on charges of second-degree assault, first-degree burglary and second-degree criminal mischief, per the same account. Police said he continued making threats even after his arrest, telling officers and deputies he would kill them while he was being booked.
The charges against Heiner remain allegations rather than findings of guilt.
