On Saturday night, a pickup vehicle broke through the front doors of a convenience store in Dallas, Oregon, and proceeded to drive around the establishment, trashing inventory and breaking through shelves.
Inside Center Market, surveillance footage captures a black pickup truck smashing through the store’s doors and then hammering into the rear wall. Before he gets back in the driver’s seat and continues to drive the truck into rows of shelves and other areas of the store until it is obscured, presumably by dust and debris, a man in only shorts exits the truck and wanders through the store.
According to local news sources, the suspect is 34-year-old Monmouth resident John Louis Marlas. According to a statement from Dallas city authorities, he also allegedly stole goods from the market during the event.
Soon after, a policeman on Fairview Avenue reached the store and blocked the truck’s exit with his patrol car. According to authorities, the suspect struck the patrol car many times.
According to the city’s statement, no one was hurt.
The individual was eventually taken into jail by the police. He is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree theft, reckless endangering and dangerous driving, and driving while intoxicated.
Police are looking into the event as a potential prejudice crime, according to officials, who also noted that the Singh family’s businesses and staff have long been an important part of the Dallas community.
According to court records, Marlas was found guilty in 2021 of criminal mischief in the second degree and was mandated to receive treatment at Oregon State Hospital.
During the 2021 disturbance near a Monmouth pizza shop, a witness claimed to have heard Marlas say, “If you don’t help me, I’m going to kill someone.”
According to court documents, Marlas was taken into custody in December 2024 and charged with second-degree menacing and disorderly conduct. To those accusations, he entered a not guilty plea.
— [email protected]; The Oregonian/OregonLive
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