On-street East Portland ‘demolition derby’ lands woman in jail

See why this gal tried to ditch a state trooper by careening off the freeway and racing through Lents. And, learn why she couldn’t sweet-talk her way out of this one …

Bad Idea #1: Trying to outrun the police. Try as she might to get away, the driver of this car couldn’t shake an Oregon State Trooper‚ and officers from Portland Police East Precinct.

By David F. Ashton
It was a nice day to be out driving on Saturday, April 28. Maybe that’s why a north Portland woman was out tooling along in outer East Portland, southbound on I-205.

However, her joy-ride was interrupted at noon by the lights and siren of an Oregon State Police (OSP) Trooper. He clocked her nifty sports car 79 mph near the SE Powell Boulevard interchange.

The car exited at SE Foster Road‚ but she didn’t stop. Instead, she led the trooper‚ joined by Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct officers‚ on a 7-minute merry chase.

From SE Foster Rd., she careened north on to SE 92nd Ave., and then did her best to ditch the cops in the ‘hood.

Bad Idea #2: Intentionally smash your vehicle into cop cars during a chase.

Demonstrating her lust for highway drama, this amateur stunt-driver pulled into a driveway and intentionally rammed into OSP and PPB patrol cars. The crunch did little damage to the cop cars.

Finally, the officers were able to box the car in and get it stopped near SE 88th Ave. and Holgate Blvd.

Wanted to “see if she could get away”
So, who was the driver? Police identified her as 46-year-old Suzanne Gillett.

After they let Gillett try on some new jewelry‚ shiny chrome-plated bracelets, she told officers “I just to see if I could get away.”

The good news: no one was injured during the incident.

Gillett was arrested by OSP and lodged in Multnomah County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Hit & Run.  She was also cited for Driving While Suspended.

© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service

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