Investigators Seeking Pursuit Suspect Who Rammed Patrol Vehicle

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - A Clackamas County deputy avoided injury Saturday night when a suspect in a Chevy Blazer rammed his patrol vehicle.

Clackamas Sheriff Spokesman Detective Jim Strovink, says it began Saturday evening at 10:19 PM, when a Clackamas County Sheriff's Patrol deputy, accompanied by his canine partner "Nero" attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a white, Chevrolet, Blazer, with one male occupant; which, this deputy reports seeing traveling southbound on Hwy 214, at Union School Road - operating this vehicle with no license plate lights, no license plates and no temporary permit displayed.

Strovink says the deputy activated his emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop of this vehicle. The Blazer turned into a residential driveway at the address of 13811 Hwy 214.

"At this point, the operator of this Blazer instantly turned all the lights of the Blazer off, revved the engine wildly and began spinning the tires in this gravel driveway that jettisoned spraying rocks over the front of the Deputy Sheriff's patrol vehicle," Strovink said.

"The Blazer then rapidly sped forward down the driveway and into a field; which activated and resulted in a 6-minute police pursuit of this offending vehicle. This Blazer continued to attempt to elude the pursuing Deputy by traveling through fields, orchards and roadways in rural, south Clackamas County."

The pursuit saw the vehicles travel on South Union School Road and South Elliott Prairie Road, Strovink said.

"At one point, the Blazer was observed attempting to escape by pulling into a driveway at the address of 4367 South Elliott Prairie Road. It was at this location the deputy witnessed the front-end of the Blazer completely off the ground as it bounced recklessly into this driveway."

He says it was later determined that the eluding Blazer had actually crashed into a sedan parked at this residence, which resulted in the sedan being propelled into an additional pick-up truck parked at the same location.

Strovink said it was at this location, where the Blazer had crashed into the parked vehicles, that the Deputy waited several seconds to determine if the suspect was going to flee on foot, or continue to drive-on.

The deputy was parked approximately 100 feet behind the rear of the Blazer and was in the process of exiting his patrol vehicle, when the driver reportedly placed the Blazer into reverse – while looking directly at the stationary patrol vehicle with emergency lights activated – accelerated and rammed the driver's door of the patrol vehicle.

"While sitting in his patrol vehicle, the Deputy was just able to secure his drivers door closed prior to impact," Strovink explained.

"The Blazer continued to violently push the patrol vehicle at least 30' as it smashed down the side of this patrol vehicle; pushing the patrol vehicle until enough room had been acquired enabling the suspect to access the roadway and flee the scene."

Strovink says the deputy, trapped in his vehicle - found it necessary to climb out the passenger side of his disabled patrol vehicle and determined his canine "Nero" had not been injured as a result of the ramming.

With equally good fortune, the deputy had no recognizable signs of injury to report.

The suspect vehicle was last observed by the deputy traveling through a field in the direction of South Orchard Lane, and continued east on South Elliott Prairie Road.

Strovink says the deputy and his canine partner were immediately picked-up by a responding Woodburn Police Sergeant, who had come to assist and continued the search for the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle was located a short time later – abandoned - in a field located near South Morcom Street.

Additional law enforcement representing the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Woodburn Police Department, Gervais Police Department, Hubbard Police Department, Molalla Police Department, Canby Police Department and the Salem Police Department responded to assist in the efforts to locate the fleeing suspect.

Five different canine teams responded to the area to aid in the immediate search. In addition, "Nero", the canine initially riding in the rammed patrol vehicle participated in tracking suspect foot prints along a tree lined, bushy and swampy area.

All efforts to immediately locate the fleeing suspect in this vast agricultural area failed and the search was ultimately terminated close to midnight. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is anxiously offering a reward and seeking assistance from the public.

The Sheriff's Office is requesting anyone with information that may possibly identify this suspect to please contact the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, Confidential Tip Line at (503) 723-4949.