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LIL' PANTRY CRASH Dispatch recording reveals details about Medford police pursuit that ended in fire and one death Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Aug. 10, 2016 at 8:41 PM Updated Aug 11, 2016 at 11:21 AM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Aug. 10, 2016 at 8:41 PM Updated Aug 11, 2016 at 11:21 AM Medford police officer crashes while providing ... --> A Medford police officer who likely was providing backup during the pursuit of Robert Franklin Brooks early Sunday morning crashed into another vehicle, causing injuries to himself and the other dr... » Read more X Medford police officer crashes while providing backup A Medford police officer who likely was providing backup during the pursuit of Robert Franklin Brooks early Sunday morning crashed into another vehicle, causing injuries to himself and the other driver. The police chase after Brooks began shortly after midnight at Alba Drive and East Barnett Road. At 12:05 a.m., Officer Andrew Gault's 2014 Dodge Charger collided into a 2002 Toyota Highlander at South Central Avenue and East Eighth Street, according to a release from the Oregon State Police, which is conducting the investigation.  Gault's lights and siren were activated and he was providing backup to another officer, the release said. OSP Capt. Bill Fugate said he's awaiting confirmation whether Gault was providing backup to the Brooks chase and more details about direction of travel for the two vehicles. Upon impact, the police vehicle struck a tree near the intersection. Gault suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford for treatment, the release said. The driver of the Toyota, Bridgett A. Stockwell, 25, of Medford, and a passenger in her vehicle sustained minor injuries and sought medical treatment, the release said. Fugate said OSP is continuing its investigation.  The Brooks chase ended at about 12:17 a.m. when his Chevy truck crashed into another vehicle at Table Rock and East Vilas roads, killing the driver, and then into the Lil' Pantry, starting a fire. Brooks was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries and was booked into the Jackson County Jail late Wednesday afternoon on charges of first-degree manslaughter, escape, attempting to elude police and other charges. » Social News Scanner traffic of the minutes preceding a fatal crash and two-alarm fire at the Lil' Pantry convenience store Sunday indicates the police pursuit may have reached speeds of more than 100 mph on rural roads. Robert Franklin Brooks, 26, reportedly drove without headlights and blew through stoplights before allegedly causing the wreck that killed 63-year-old Catherine "Katie" Hein of White City and set the store afire shortly after midnight, a recording obtained via Broadcastify indicates. Oregon State Police is still investigating the multi-agency police chase and has released little information so far, so reports contained in the scanner recording have not yet been verified. Brooks, who has spent the last three days being treated for his injuries at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, was lodged in the Jackson County Jail without bail this evening on charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree escape and attempting to elude police in a vehicle, as well as several misdemeanor charges. At 11:53 p.m. Saturday, a Medford officer first alerted dispatch he was at the Travelodge parking lot at 954 Alba Drive, the recording shows. The call was to serve a warrant on Brooks, according to Medford police. By 11:58 p.m., the officer called for backup for a foot chase. Medford police said later Brooks was hit with a stun gun twice but continued fleeing. Brooks allegedly went around the backside of the hotel and upstairs, before running to his white Chevrolet pickup at 12:05 a.m. and fleeing on Alba Drive to Barnett Road. At 12:06 a.m., while headed eastbound on Barnett, Brooks reportedly veered into the oncoming lane of another police car and almost hit the officer head-on, a woman reports in the scanner traffic. Brooks turned north onto Murphy Road, headed west on Country Club Drive, then north onto Black Oak Drive before turning onto Hillcrest Road, the scanner traffic indicates. By 12:10 a.m., while Brooks was traveling westbound on Hillcrest, the pursuing officer reported Brooks' pickup was "still blacked out," likely meaning Brooks' lights were off. Brooks reportedly reached speeds nearing 70 mph on Hillcrest before turning north onto Sunrise Avenue, which becomes Springbrook Road. Brooks blew past at least one stoplight on Springbrook, according to the recording. He turned onto Owen Drive, then turned north onto Arrowhead, then east onto Coker Butte Road, where he drove at speeds "up over 70." Brooks went over a median onto Coker Butte, the pursuing officer reported. By 12:12 a.m., a pursuing officer called for backup. "I need the help," the officer said. "Affirmative. We have several agencies en route," a dispatcher said. From Coker Butte, Brooks turned north on North Foothill Road and hit 90 mph before turning west onto Vilas Road, where his speed reached 105 mph, an officer reported. The recording indicates that multiple units from Medford police and the Jackson County Sheriff's Department joined the pursuit, with some stationed at various spots with spike strips at the ready, including at Crater Lake and Vilas. Those spike strips popped three tires on Brooks' pickup. "Back off! Back off! Back off!" an officer shouted. "He's slowing down, he's going to flip out," someone said. The truck veered into the oncoming lane but continued on, an officer reported. "Truck's falling apart," someone said. An additional spike strip was called for at Crater Lake Avenue and Airway Drive, but in the minute prior to the crash, someone told dispatch, "Wheels are out. We don't need any more spikes." At 12:17 a.m., tones indicate a motor vehicle crash. Brooks' truck had struck a car driven by Katie Hein, killing her, at Table Rock and Vilas roads. Seconds after the crash was reported, someone said, "Truck's on fire" and another radioed for "multiple ambulances." Law enforcement extricated one within 90 seconds of the first report, the scanner traffic indicates. A Medford Fire-Rescue firefighter asked whether crews were responding to a vehicle crash or a fire. “Here’s the deal Brian, there’s a wreck, a bad wreck into the Lil' Pantry building which started the structure fire. Your first priority is to arrive on the scene and assist (engine) 8104 with patient extrication. If we get that done before you get here then you’ll be going right into the working structure fire, which has gone second alarm,” a responder replied at 12:28 a.m. According to a Gofundme crowdfunding page posted by Hein's son, Katie had taken her granddaughter to an Oregon Shakespeare Festival play that evening. She was returning home to White City after dropping off the girl. Donations Wednesday reached $12,840 toward a $15,000 goal Wednesday, the page showed. The page said the crash destroyed the family's only reliable car, and that the family was unprepared for Hein's funeral expenses. To donate, see www.gofundme.com/katieheinmemorial . Messages to Hein's husband and son weren't immediately returned Wednesday. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. listen By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Aug. 10, 2016 at 8:41 PM Updated Aug 11, 2016 at 11:21 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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