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Donald "Don" Preston (1936 - 2004) was an American police officer who served as a deputy in the Ligget County Sheriff's Department out of Hope, Washington. Preston washed Vietnam War veteran John Rambo with a high-pressure fire hose, which led up to Rambo's escape and the 1981 Hope manhunt.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Donald Preston was born in 1936 in Hope, Ligget County, Washington. Preston's father fought in World War II in the US Marine Corps, Preston eventually fought in the Korean War with the rest of his hometown. After the war, Preston became a police officer in the Ligget County Sheriff's Department in Hope, serving as a deputy.

Rambo[]

In 1981, after Vietnam War veteran John Rambo was falsely arrested by Sheriff Will Teasle, Preston was ordered by Deputy Sergeant Art Galt to hose down Rambo, as Teasle wanted Rambo to be ready for his court date the following day. Preston did as he commanded, though was reluctant to do so, using a high-pressure fire hose to clean Rambo. When Rambo attacked Galt, Deputy David Mitchell, and Deputy Chris Ward, Preston fled the scene to avoid being beaten up by Rambo.

A few days later, after Rambo destroyed the Hope gas station as a distraction, Preston and Deputy Lester Wallace went to investigate the explosion. Rambo later surrendered to the Washington authorities.

Later life[]

Preston eventually retired in 1997, before dying of cancer in 2004 at 68.

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