North Bend man arrested after allegedly switching seats during traffic stop

A traffic stop in North Bend led to the arrest of a man who deputies say tried to avoid getting in trouble by switching seats with a passenger.

According to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy stopped a vehicle on March 6 near East Bay Road and Pettit Lane after noticing expired registration stickers.

After activating patrol lights, the vehicle pulled over a short distance later. When the deputy approached, she reportedly saw a woman moving from the passenger seat into the driver’s seat.

Authorities said their investigation determined that 38-year-old Travis McMullen had been driving the vehicle despite having a suspended license and allegedly attempted to switch places with the passenger before the deputy reached the car.

McMullen was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license and was taken to the Coos County Jail.