You’ll be amazed to learn how far this hit-and-run driver in Centennial got, before being stopped …
The officer in this Portland Police Bureau vehicle tried to follow a stolen pickup truck that had smashed into a Patrol SUV, but that police vehicle stalled here, about two blocks south of the location of the smashup – along SE 148th Avenue, in the Centennial neighborhood.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
This story started when a man in a truck wouldn’t leave the parking lot of the Greenview Terrace Apartments on SE 148th Avenue, a block south of Stark Street, on Saturday morning February 10th.
A Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officer was dispatched at 10:33 a.m. to “move along” the trespasser.
But, instead of politely vacating the property, “One suspect jumped in the large black crew-cab pickup truck and crashed into one of the occupied police vehicles,” Sergeant Kevin Allen told reporters.
The officer in this smashed patrol SUV wasn’t injured, official say.
The driver stomped on the gas and headed southon SE 148th Avenue. Officers who stayed with the stalled, smashed PPB SUV that morning told East Portland News that the outlaw truck was last seen heading west on SE Powell Boulevard.
As it turned out, the fleeing driver was headed to the Parkrose.
After this stolen truck crashes in Parkrose – note its shredded rear tire – the driver runs away.
The rear wheel was worn down to the rims when the driver finally crashed in the area of NE 96th Avenue and Prescott Street – about 5.8 miles from where he took off – and ran off.
Lots of officers set up a dragnet and quickly arrested a man, who was found to not be the driver. Nonetheless, he had outstanding warrants, and so was arrested and booked.
But the driver responsible for the smash-up hasn’t yet been located. If you have information about the suspect who rammed the officer, please e-mail crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov – and please refer to Case No. 24-33380.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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