A Redmond man is no longer facing charges in a Bend road rage case that garnered international attention.
Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says the alleged victims in the case are not credible, appearing to have made up similar stories before and after the June 1st incident.
One of them, Megan Stackhouse, is herself facing charges in connection to an unrelated road rage last month.
Hummel says Stackhouse pulled out in front of Jay Barbeau in a dangerous manner on June 1st, prompting Barbeau to break out the window of Stackhouse’s car.
But Hummel says medical records, testimony from Barbeau’s wife and credibility concerns about Stackhouse and her passenger Lucinda Mann mean he cannot stand behind the claims that Barbeau assaulted them.
Hummel calls Barbeau’s actions outrageous and unacceptable, for which he served 11 days in jail and received national ridicule.
Meanwhile, the Bulletin reports Stackhouse is accused of crashing into a woman’s car and then punching her in the face on Mother’s Day.
Hummel’s press release is below.
CHARGES DISMISSED IN ROAD-RAGE CASE
The public was informed that on June 1, 2018 Jay Allen Barbeau committed a horrific act. The public was told that Barbeau had intentionally broken a women’s arm because he was upset she cut him off in traffic. The public was also told that Barbeau assaulted the women’s passenger. Upon further scrutiny, these allegations cannot be sustained; therefore, Deschutes District Attorney John Hummel filed a motion with the court to dismiss the case.
Here’s what we know:
- On June 1, 2018, Megan Stackhouse pulled her car in front of Jay Barbeau’s car in a dangerous manner. This upset Barbeau who started aggressively following Stackhouse.
- Barbeau followed Stackhouse for 1.1 miles, eventually getting out of his car and quickly walking up to Stackhouse’s car.
- When Barbeau got to Stackhouse’s car, he punched the rear window – shattering it.
- Stackhouse’s passenger, Lucinda Mann, got out of her car and quickly went to the ground. Mann said she was thrown to the ground by Barbeau and suffered a serious injury. Medical records contradict her claim.
- Stackhouse says Barbeau grabbed her wrist and twisted it, which caused a broken bone. Barbeau denies grabbing Stackhouse’s wrist. Barbeau’s wife says Stackhouse slammed her own arm on Barbeau’s truck. When the police arrived, Stackhouse was on the running board of Barbeau’s truck.
Investigation into Mann and Stackhouse’s background and credibility returned significant and troubling results:
- On June 7, 2018, Mann and Stackhouse were drinking at 10 Barrel brewery. When they left, Mann intentionally threw herself onto the hood of a car in the road and then flopped to the ground.
- On May 13, 2018, Stackhouse struck another car and then punched the driver. Stackhouse was charged with this assault and the matter is pending.
- On November 26, 2017, Stackhouse and Mann reported to police that Mann was struck by a van while she was walking in the parking lot of Timbers Tavern.
- On October 31, 2016, Mann and Stackhouse were passengers in a car that was involved in a single vehicle, low speed crash. When police arrived, Mann was found lying on the road with shallow breathing and acting unconscious. The police determined her actions were not consistent with injuries she would have received in the crash.
Statement of District Attorney John Hummel:
“My job as District Attorney is to seek justice, not convictions. I have no confidence in the credibility of Mann and Stackhouse. Mann’s claimed injuries in the Barbeau case were debunked by the medical records. While Stackhouse did suffer a broken bone in her wrist, there are competing claims as to how her injury occurred and based on her lack of credibility, I cannot stand behind her version of events.
Barbeau’s acts of chasing after Stackhouse in his car and punching her window were outrageous and unacceptable. For this, he served 11 days in jail and received national ridicule and condemnation for intentionally breaking a women’s wrist – charges that are now being dismissed. This is more than enough punishment.”
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