Logan Cantwell Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Multiple Property Crimes, and is sentenced to 120 Months

(THE DALLES, Ore.) – Today, Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis announced that 26-year-old Logan Cantwell received 120-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and Attempt to Elude.  In separate criminal episodes, Cantwell pled guilty to a Burglary in the Second Degree in Wasco County; and four Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicles, Theft in the First Degree, and Theft in the Second Degree in Sherman County.  He received a sentence of 120 months in Wasco County and 83 months in Sherman County, with the sentences to run concurrently.  Of those 120 months, 90 months must be served day-for-day.

The resolution of this case resulted after a judicial settlement conference in the Wasco County Circuit Courthouse on September 6, 2024.  Cantwell pled guilty and was sentenced the same day.   

By pleading guilty to Attempted Murder, Cantwell admitted to intentionally attempting to cause the death of Sergeant Matt Tuia, while Sergeant Tuia was performing his duties as a law enforcement officer.   On November 13, 2021, Cantwell was involved in a high-speed chase after fleeing detention during a traffic stop near Shaniko.  After one of Cantwell’s tires blew out, Sergeant Tuia pulled his patrol vehicle in behind Cantwell’s vehicle along the highway.  Cantwell got out of his vehicle and fired multiple rounds at Sergeant Tuia, striking the driver’s side of the windshield and the hood of Sergeant Tuia’s vehicle. One of the rounds barely missed striking Sergeant Tuia’s left side.  Sergeant Tuia was able to reverse his vehicle while firing back at Cantwell, preventing the subsequent rounds from penetrating the cab of Sergeant Tuia’s vehicle. 

Following the incident, Cantwell fled, and managed to hitchhike his way back to The Dalles.  A multiple agency search was conducted over approximately a week in November 2021.  He was eventually captured in Skamania County days later, where he was prosecuted for other property crimes in Washington. Cantwell has been in custody in NORCOR since August 2022.

The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, The Dalles City Police, along with our law enforcement partners in Washington for the investigation into these matters, and bringing Cantwell to justice.  Special thanks to Sergeant Tuia and his family for their patience with the criminal justice system.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court placed Cantwell on 36 months of post-prison supervision.  If he violates conditions put in place by his post-prison supervisor, he could receive further sanctions in the future. 

District Attorney Matthew Ellis handled this case.

No additional information is available for release at this time.

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