PORTLAND — A 38-year-old man is suspected of killing another man last week in a shooting at a North Plains home where deputies had responded at least a dozen other times this year on a variety of complaints, court records show.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office named Chad Brandon Pitcher as the suspect in the Sept. 19 death of Michael Arch, 39. Both men have prolonged criminal histories, court records show, including Pitcher admitting to drug possession in 2011 and Arch pleading guilty to shooting a Washington County deputy in 1997.
The case remains under investigation and deputies have made no arrests, said Deputy Jeff Talbot, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Arch died from a gunshot wound at a house in the 16000 block of Northwest Dairy Creek Road, Talbot said. The shooter fled before deputies arrived.
Sheriff’s office records show deputies had gone to the home the day before the killing to check out a complaint of someone stealing gas from the property. Other calls included a shooting on Sept. 5 when no one was injured, a report of an ex-roommate ramming another person’s car earlier the same day and a caller who claimed someone on the property was trying to run the caller over in August.
It’s not clear from the records if Arch or Pitcher lived at the house or who called in the various complaints. The earlier shooting and car-ramming remain under investigation, Talbot said.
Court records show Pitcher lived in Tigard as recently as July and Arch lived in Madras as of February.
Also in February, Arch filed a petition in Jefferson County Circuit Court to have his name changed from Reiner Schmolling, according to court records. The change was approved two months later, but court documents don’t give a reason why Arch wanted a different name.
Arch had a criminal history that stretched back to at least 1997 when he was 19 and wounded a Washington County deputy during a traffic stop in Aloha, court records show. He was later wounded during a shootout with other deputies. Arch was sentenced to 15 years in prison later that year for attempted murder and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
He also pleaded guilty to aggravated theft and other charges and was sentenced to a year and a half in prison after authorities said he didn’t pay for gas while filling up a stolen RV and hit a gas attendant while driving away in 2015.
Pitcher has convictions dating back to at least 2008, including delivery and possession of methamphetamine, court records show. He was sentenced in 2011 to six months in prison for methamphetamine and oxycodone possession.
Deputies believe Pitcher is armed and dangerous. They ask the public not to approach him and call (503) 629-0111 if they have any information about Pitcher’s location.
