PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Cries for help near the Yaquina Bay Bridge led a Newport police officer to find a woman bloodied with her hands tied behind her back, which led to an arrest about 4 hours later of a man with a long criminal record.
The incident unfolded around 11 p.m. on October 21, the Newport Police Department said in a release. The officer was in the area to deal with construction materials in the roadway when he heard the woman yelling. She was found with blood on her face and head with her hands “hog tied” with rope and shoelaces behind her.
She was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment of her injuries. Earlier in the night, police said, the woman and the accused — later identified as Thomas Brannies — were together off the main path in the Yaquina Bay State Park when she was struck in the head. She said she was told the assault would stop if she didn’t fight back.
After she was tied up and wounded, police said Brannies took all of her belongings and fled the area, leaving her there. She later managed to free her feet and get back on the Yaquina Bay Bridge where the Newport officer found her, authorities said.
Using a description of the man and the vehicle, deputies from Lincoln County came to help in the search for Brannies but to no immediate avail.
However, shortly after 3 a.m. Brannies’ car was spotted at JC Thriftway, officials said, adding the woman’s stolen items were found in his car.
The 34-year-old Keizer resident was arrested and booked at the Lincoln County Jail on 5 separate charges: 2nd-degree kidnapping, 2nd-degree assault, 2nd-degree theft, unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor warrant.
Authorities also said Brannies had a previous outstanding warrant on an assault charge.
A KOIN 6 News search found Brannies has a long criminal record for a variety of charges dating back to 2009.