Violence on Third Street: Bend Man Arrested After Laundromat Assault and Convenience Store Robbery

BEND, OR — A violent crime spree along Bend's SE Third Street corridor on Monday morning, June 15, 2026, resulted in the arrest of a local man following multiple physical assaults and an attempted convenience store robbery. The suspect, identified as 48-year-old José Luis García Chávez of Bend, is facing a long list of charges after resisting arrest and attempting to assault police officers.

Double Assaults and Attempted Robberies

The incident began around 9:28 a.m. when a Bend Police officer was flagged down near the Royal Gateway Motel, located at 475 SE Third Street, by a victim who had been assaulted during an attempted robbery. According to police reports, the altercation was initially believed to have occurred at the nearby Eco Laundry Mat (407 SE Third Street), but subsequent review of surveillance footage showed the assault actually took place at the intersection of SE Vine Street and SE Third Street.

Taser Deployment and Arrest

Just minutes later, at approximately 9:30 a.m., dispatchers received a separate emergency call reporting a robbery in progress at the Ace Market at 449 SE Third Street. The suspect, matching the description of the man from the first incident, entered the store, demanded money, and engaged in a physical fight with a store employee who attempted to intervene. The suspect fled the store empty-handed before officers arrived, but left both victims with minor injuries. Both victims were treated at the scene by responding paramedics.

Officers located the suspect, García Chávez, back at the Royal Gateway Motel. When confronted, the suspect resisted arrest and attempted to physically assault the responding officers. In order to subdue him, officers deployed a Taser and successfully took him into custody. García Chávez was treated for injuries sustained prior to his encounter with the police before being booked into the Deschutes County Jail. He has been charged with Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Third Degree, two counts of fourth-degree assault, menacing, attempted assault on a police officer, and resisting arrest.