Find out how a clear early evening drive on SE 92nd Avenue in outer East Portland ended with three damaged vehicles and a DUII arrest in Lents …
This three‑vehicle crash at SE 92nd Avenue and SE Knapp Street in the Lents neighborhood brings PPB officers and a Public Safety Support Specialist to block northbound traffic and document the scene.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A three‑vehicle, injury‑classified crash at SE 92nd Avenue and SE Knapp Street in the Lents neighborhood on Thursday, June 11, at 7:44 p.m. led to a DUII arrest after investigators concluded that a Subaru driver rear‑ended a pickup and pushed it into a third vehicle.
According to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the call came in as an “Accident‑Injury” at the busy intersection.
A police cruiser blocks SE 92nd Avenue ahead of the damaged Ford Escape while investigators document the chain‑reaction crash.
It was a clear, warm early evening, and visibility did not appear to be a factor in the collision. All three vehicles — a Ford Escape sedan, a Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport pickup, and a Subaru Outback PZEV — were traveling northbound on SE 92nd Avenue, about a half‑block north of SE Flavel Street before the smashup.
The Ford appeared to have the least visible damage of the three vehicles.
PPB East Precinct officers responded and a Public Safety Support Specialist helped block northbound traffic while the crash was being investigated and the scene was sorted out.
The Toyota Tacoma comes away with lighter damage than the Subaru Outback in the crash.
Investigation points to chain‑reaction crash
PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen told East Portland News that investigators determined the crash began when the Subaru struck the pickup from behind.
The investigation revealed that the red 2015 Subaru Outback rear‑ended the Toyota Tacoma, Sergeant Allen reported, pushing the pickup into the Ford Escape in front of it. The force of the impact caused airbag deployment in the Subaru.
As officers evaluated the drivers, they noticed that the Subaru driver showed signs of impairment. An officer from the PPB Traffic Division responded to conduct a DUII investigation at the scene.
With the DUII suspect taken to a hospital for evaluation, officers stay on scene to talk with crash victims and document the collision.
Lents driver arrested on DUII and warrant
Sergeant Allen identified the Subaru driver as 61‑year‑old Joni L. Clayton of Portland. She was arrested and criminally cited for DUII, along with an active arrest warrant out of Benton County and a Careless Driving violation.
Because Clayton had been involved in a crash with airbag deployment, Sergeant Allen noted that she would likely not be accepted for immediate jail booking without medical clearance. Record checks confirmed that she was not booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, even as the criminal charges and warrant were documented.
The street is blocked for a couple of hours while officers investigate the crash and arrange tows for the three damaged vehicles.
Clayton’s Subaru was towed from the scene as the investigation wrapped up and tow operators cleared the damaged vehicles from SE 92nd Avenue.
PPB officials continued to review the case details under Case No. 26‑169871.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
