Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports yesterday on July 23, 2024, at 8:20 p.m., deputies located Jacob Reginald Bliss, 49, transient of the Lebanon area, driving a silver Hyundai in Brownsville. Deputies had been looking for Bliss to arrest him on numerous outstanding felony warrants. Bliss’s warrants were for Probation Violation and Fail to Appear 1, where the original charges included Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine-Felony, and Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon.
When deputies located Bliss, he stopped his vehicle and fled on foot near the 1000 block of Kirk Avenue in Brownsville. Bliss began running north towards a timbered area, and a K9 unit that was on scene was deployed to track him. Deputies and the K9 chased Bliss over fences, across a creek and through brush, before Bliss finally stopped running. Multiple deputies were on scene and took Bliss into custody. Deputies did not use force and the K9 did not have contact with Bliss. Within minutes of taking Bliss into custody, he began complaining of not being able to breathe and collapsed.
Deputies unhandcuffed Bliss and began CPR and Narcan attempting to save his life until medics arrived. Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and Bliss died on scene.
As this was an in-custody death, although only briefly, Lebanon Police Department was asked to investigate the death per standard protocols. Lebanon Police Department is continuing the investigation to determine the cause of death, which is unknown at this time.