Man Faces Numerous Charges After Police Chase

The vehicle struck an apartment and the force of the knocked a child's bed several feet away from the wall, fortunately the child was not home when it happened.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Just after midnight, Marion County Sheriff's Deputy David Watkin says he attempted to perform a traffic stop on a suspected DUII driver at Lancaster Drive and Sunnyview Drive in Salem.

According to Watkin, the suspect failed to yield to the traffic stop and a chase lasting 8.4 miles ensued through Salem and into Keizer.

Sgt Jeff Wheeler with the Marion County Sheriff's Office says the attempt to elude officers ended abruptly.

"The suspect driver drove back to his apartment complex and crashed into the side of the apartment complex at a slow rate of speed."

Wheeler says the suspect then attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended. The suspect, 29-year old Jose A. Meraz of Keizer, was arrested on multiple charges, including Elude, GFI, PCS Cocaine, DUII, Reckless Endangering, Reckless Driving.

The suspect also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, Wheeler said.

"The apartment that the suspect crashed into, sustained an unknown amount of damage to the exterior wall and also the interior wall of the bedroom inside the apartment. The collision into the wall, produced enough force to move the child's bed inside the bedroom away from they wall by several feet. Thank goodness the child that normally sleeps in the bed was away at her mothers for Mother Day weekend."

Wheeler says Salem Police and Keizer Police assisted Marion County deputies on the case. The suspect was able to avoid several spike strips during the elude.