Background: The Walgreens on River Road North in Keizer, Oregon (Google Maps). Inset: Daniel Ray Myers (Salem Police Department).
An Oregon man is accused of stabbing a woman who fought back when he attacked her, then driving her to a Walgreens, believing she would buy items to patch herself up.
Daniel Ray Myers, 62, has been arrested on charges of attempted second-degree murder "and other felony crimes," the Salem Police Department announced. He had been wanted for days following the incident last week that ignited the multistate investigation.
At about 9 p.m. on Feb. 10, Myers and a woman "were in his vehicle making online food delivery orders when he drove the victim to a secluded location" in West Salem. According to the woman, he "attempted to sexually assault her, and when she resisted, he stabbed her multiple times."
She tried to get away, but Myers "held her in the vehicle," the police department added. The suspect reportedly only let her go when she convinced him to let her enter a nearby Walgreens in Keizer "to obtain first aid items." While inside, store employees called the police.
Officers arrived and found the woman, who was brought to a nearby hospital. By this time, Myers had driven away in a silver Honda Civic, and authorities asked the public to help them locate the suspect.
Two days later, investigators said they received tips that Myers' car had been spotted in California traveling south toward Bakersfield, about 800 miles south of Salem, Oregon. Detectives contacted the California Highway Patrol, and authorities managed to detain the suspect.
The Salem Police Department said that Myers would be extradited back to Oregon to face the charges against him.
Salem Police Sgt. Jonathan Hardy said the victim's injuries were not life-threatening and that she was released from the hospital, Portland Fox affiliate KPTV reported.
"It appears she did everything that she should have done," Hardy said. "When her life was threatened, when her safety was threatened, she fought back but then was also able to switch gears to negotiate when it was time to negotiate and likely use her relationship with the suspect and get him to a point where she could get out of the car."