LOVE THAT HAND SANITIZER

Oregon jail inmates drunk on hand sanitizer escape work crew on ATV, deputies say

By Everton Bailey Jr.

The Oregonian
November 16, 2018

Two Deschutes County inmates on a work crew got drunk on the alcohol from hand sanitizer, then went joyriding on a stolen ATV until deputies caught up with them Wednesday, authorities say.

Christopher G. Turre, 30, and Shawn D. McCallister, 34, were part of a four-inmate work crew at a ranch east of Bend feeding rescue animals and cleaning up the property. At some point, Turre and McCallister drank sanitizer from a container in the jail van, took off on a sheriff's office four-wheeler and broke through a ranch entrance gate on their way off the land, the sheriff's office said.

It's not clear from the sheriff's office how much hand sanitizer Turre and McCallister drank nor if the other two inmates drank any. The amount of alcohol in hand sanitizer ranges from 45 percent to 95 percent, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Wine has 10 percent to 15 percent alcohol, and beer contains 5 to 10 percent.

Most hand-sanitizing products have more than 60 percent ethyl alcohol, which is found in beer, brandy and whiskey.

The deputy in charge of supervising the inmates noticed McCallister and Turre were missing around 11:25 a.m. and saw the gate had been forced open. Someone later called 911 and reported seeing the duo speeding in the area on the ATV and riding in circles, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities used an Oregon State Police plane to help find McCallister, Turre and the ATV, described as green with "SHERIFF" written on it. Turre was found on national forest land around 12:30 p.m. McCallister was found about 35 minutes later.

By then, McCallister had abandoned the ATV and run away. Officials found him trying to hide in a field, the sheriff's office said.

Turre was sentenced in September to 100 days in jail for driving under the influence of intoxicants and fourth-degree assault. His driver's license was also suspended for life, court records show. He is now accused of first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree escape and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

McCallister, the alleged ATV operator, faces the same accusations as well as driving under the influence of intoxicants, attempt to elude, reckless driving, reckless endangering and driving while suspended. He was in the midst of serving a 90-day jail sentence after being convicted in August of first-degree theft, heroin possession, reckless endangering and driving while suspended.

A judge at the time ordered McCallister's driver's license be suspended for 90 days.