Oregon man charged in plot to kill neighbor

PORTLAND, Ore. — Police in Eugene, Oregon, arrested a man accused of trying to hire a hit man to run a neighbor off the road.

Police spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin said in a news release that police arrested 57-year-old Jeffrey Wright Leonard on charges of solicitation for murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Sgt. Scott McKee told reporters at police headquarters that a 30-year-old jail inmate told a deputy that Leonard hired him to kill his neighbor by ramming his vehicle into a pole on Highway 99. McKee wouldn’t say how much money Leonard allegedly offered.

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The inmate said Leonard provided his neighbor’s route to work, a description of his car and the license plate number.

Leonard was arrested Friday and booked into Lane County Jail.

Jail records show Leonard was arrested earlier this year on charges of contempt of court and violating a restraining order.

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