Find out how this boat ‘floated’ into the Glenfair neighborhood – and onto the light rail line …
This stolen boat was, for unknown reasons, “dropped off” in outer East Portland, right on the Blue TriMet MAX Light Rail tracks. Gresham PD images
By David F. Ashton
Criminals making their getaway with a stolen boat had a hitch in their plans on Monday morning, December 23 – and abandoned it on the TriMet MAX Light Rail line, on the Portland/Gresham border at 162nd Avenue.
The purloined water craft was spotted, too late, by a westbound MAX train operator, who, while reportedly driving slowly, attempted an emergency stop to try to avoid crashing into the boat. He didn’t succeed.
No one was in the boat when it was truck by a train, but it – and its trailer – were severely damaged.
“Thankfully no one was in the boat, and no one on the MAX was injured,” said a Gresham Police Department spokesperson. “Because of the nearby station, the train was traveling slowly at the time of the impact.”
The reported-stolen boat was removed, but the towing vehicle and the suspects who snatched it have not yet been identified or apprehended.
Workers from several agencies come to remove the shattered boat from the train tracks.
“While we realize it has been raining a lot, please don’t park your boat on the MAX tracks – a dock on the Columbia would work just fine,” quipped the spokesperson.
© 2019 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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