Hit-and-run driver lands in jail on weapons charge

Here’s the incident in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood that led to lots of police cars cruising the streets of outer East Portland…

Officers close of SE Harold Street, east of 122nd Avenue, while they investigate a hit-and-run accident – which turned into a shooting, in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

A major Portland Police Bureau (PPB) callout for East Precinct officers took place on Tuesday evening, May 30, when a “Threat—Priority” call was dispatched at 7:36 p.m.

Although 17 officers were dispatched to the original location – the intersection of SE 122nd Avenue and Holgate Boulevard – upon our arrival, no police activity was to be found.

However, a half-mile south along SE 122nd Avenue, eastbound Harold Street was closed off by police cars.

Further east along SE Harold Street, one officer puts a “spike strip” back into a patrol car, while others – including a Parole Officer – discuss the incident.

And, a half-mile further east along SE Harold near 130th Avenue, three police cars were partly blocking the westbound lane. One person wore a uniform clearly marked “PAROLE OFFICER”.

Yet another police cruiser was stopped behind a vehicle which facing northbound on SE 136th Avenue near Bush Street. After about two hours, most of the officers were released to patrol their districts.

“Officers were responding to a hit-and-run accident, where the suspect driver was aggressive towards the driver of the other vehicle,” PPB Public Information Officer Lt. Nathan Sheppard told East Portland News the next day.

An officer stops a vehicle – part of this investigation – along SE 136th Avenue.

“The victim told officers that the suspect soon returned and chased him with a gun,” Lt Sheppard continued. “The victim fled his vehicle, and soon after, heard the suspect shoot a gun outside the window of the victim’s car – before the suspect fled the scene.”

Officers located the suspect vehicle. Initially, it did not stop; the suspect eventually came to a halt in the area of SE 136th Avenue at Knight Street. “The suspect, 30-year-old Markus Aaron Jimenez, was taken into custody at 9:19 p.m.,” Lt. Sheppard said.

CLICK HERE for details about why you are no longer permitted, by law, to see a Multnomah County Detention Center booking photo of Markus Aaron Jimenez.

Jimenez was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 10:54 p.m. on two Class C Felony charges of Felon in Possession of a firearm and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

Jimenez also racked up six Misdemeanor charges, including Criminal Mischief II, and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver. However, at his arraignment, a friendly judge dropped four of the Misdemeanor charges of Menacing, Reckless Endangerment, Reckless Driving, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

But the judge did not drop all of the charges, so Jimenez is being held without bail in the MCDC.

Comments are closed.