Driver racks up six charges during wild ride across SE Portland

By David F. Ashton

The Bee, Nov 4, 2009

Paramedics check over suspect Guelker before taking him to the hospital.

David F. Ashton / THE BEE

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A 34-year old Oregon City man is facing multiple charges after he attempted to elude Oregon State Police and Portland Police Bureau officers on Tuesday afternoon, September 29th.

“It started about 1:45 pm,” reported Oregon State Police (OSP) spokesman Lt. Gregg Hastings. “OSP got a report of an erratic driver on Interstate 205. An OSP sergeant was in the right place at the right time — and signaled for the driver of the gold Oldsmobile Alero to stop. The vehicle exited at Johnson Creek Boulevard, and stopped at the top of the ramp.”

The sergeant then got out of his car to walk up to the driver, Hastings told THE BEE, who showed obvious signs of impairment. But at that point, the driver started up his car and fled from the traffic stop location. The trooper dashed for his patrol car, and followed.

“Our sergeant kept him in sight,” Hastings continued. “Over the next ten minutes the driver failed to yield to the OSP sergeant, and attempted to elude at speeds estimated near 50 mph. He drove west from Interstate 205 using numerous side streets, in and out of the Portland City limits.”

When Portland Police Bureau East Precinct and Traffic Division officers heard the incident unfold on their radios, they moved in to help try to corral the careening Oldsmobile as it zigzagged on S.E. Duke Street and S.E. Flavel Street in the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood. The procession turned south on S.E. 52nd Avenue, then onto S.E. Harney Street — and continued west through the Ardenwald-Johnson Creek neighborhood, heading toward Sellwood.

The fleeing driver may have fancied himself a race-car driver while making his getaway, but didn’t have the skills. Just before the Tacoma Street Bridge, he took a right turn — apparently thinking he’d head north on McLoughlin Boulevard.

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