Wanted Oregon Woman Hid Inside Sewage Tank Portable Toilet Police Say

Oregon – On a sweltering day in July 2015, police in the state wrapped up a bizarre chase that ended in the most unlikely spot: inside a portable toilet’s sewage tank.

Authorities had been on the hunt for a 35-year-old woman wanted on charges of theft and evading arrest. She’d reportedly skipped out on a court date earlier that month, prompting officers to track her to a rural campsite. When they closed in, she bolted into the woods, but what followed was straight out of a comedy sketch. Witnesses told police they saw her duck into a line of portable toilets at the site, and that’s where things got messy. Officers searched the area and eventually heard suspicious noises coming from one unit. Peering inside, they found her crammed into the tank, submerged in waste up to her waist. It’s hard to imagine the desperation that led to such a choice, but it sure made for one unforgettable takedown.

The woman, whose name wasn’t immediately released, had a history of minor run-ins with the law, including shoplifting and traffic violations. Locals in the area weren’t too surprised; they described her as someone who always seemed a step ahead of trouble. Police said they used thermal imaging and K-9 units to narrow down her hiding spot, but even they were taken aback when they pried open that toilet. “We’ve seen people try all sorts of tricks, but this one takes the cake,” one officer quipped to reporters on the scene.

In the end, she was pulled out, arrested without much fuss, and taken to a nearby hospital for a checkup before facing charges. The incident drew a few chuckles online, with social media users joking about the lengths people go to avoid the cops. While it’s not every day you hear about someone turning a porta-potty into a hideout, it serves as a reminder that even the best-laid escape plans can go down the drain—literally. Authorities are still reviewing the case, but for now, it’s just another odd footnote in Oregon’s crime logs.