Minor knocks out pole in Monday morning chase

Officer Juan Pulido was on patrol in the city of Hood River and noticed a “suspicious vehicle” parked on East Second Street, facing northbound, with its fog lights and parking lots on and with the driver of the SUV appearing to be waving his arm and honking his horn, according to Martin.

Pulido turned around and pulled alongside the vehicle, and the driver responded by “spinning out his tires” and “accelerating at a high rate of speed,” said Martin, driving westbound on State Street toward downtown Hood River.

Martin said that according to Pulido’s report, the driver continued westbound on State and then drove through the intersection at Ninth and State streets and into a utility pole, which resulted in the vehicle ending up on its right side.

The impact was so severe that it sent up a shower of sparks, Martin noted, and sheered the pole in half, although the tension of the power lines kept the top part of the pole from falling.

Martin reported that Pulido warned the driver, who was attempting to crawl out of the driver side window, to stay in the vehicle due to the downed power lines that were lying close to the SUV. Martin said the driver of the vehicle ignored the warnings and ran from police on foot and, despite repeated warnings, only stopped when he was threatened with Tasing.

According to police, the juvenile failed field sobriety tests and had a Blood Alcohol Content of .08, which is above Oregon’s zero tolerance law for underage drivers. Martin said that according to the report, after the suspect was read his Miranda rights, Pulido asked the suspect if he knew why he was here, to which he responded, “Yes, I stole a vehicle.”

Martin said the suspect refused medical treatment at the scene and was transported to the juvenile division of the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility in The Dalles on charges of driving under the influence, minor in possession, attempt to elude in a vehicle, attempt to elude on foot, providing false information to a police officer, criminal mischief, and reckless driving.

The car, a 2005 Lincoln Navigator, was totaled in the incident and towed by Hood River Towing.

There were reports of power interruption caused by damage to the power pole, but police did not have information on the extent of the interruption. Photographs taken by Richard Hallman, who lives near the scene of the accident, show Pacific Power crews fixing the pole Monday during the day.