On Saturday, January 3, 2026 at 2:17 a.m., Portland Police Officers attempted to stop a vehicle at Northwest 11th Avenue and Northwest Burnside Street that was seen driving recklessly in the area of Northwest 8th Avenue and Northwest Burnside Street. The driver initially pulled over. The officers requested cover units to assist, but before they arrived the driver pulled away and eluded the officers, leaving westbound on Northwest Burnside Street. Officers turned off their overhead emergency police lights to avoid pushing the driver to continue their dangerous driving.
Several minutes later officers reacquired the vehicle in Washington County, on Southwest Barnes Road and Southwest 87th Avenue, driving normally. When officers got behind the vehicle the driver did a U-turn and preemptively eluded, prior to the officer activating their overhead emergency lights. Once officers were able to safely turn around, they found the same vehicle had crashed several blocks ahead at Southwest Barnes Road and Southwest Valeria View Drive. The driver and sole occupant was found deceased inside the vehicle. Officers were not in pursuit at the time of the crash and no other vehicles were involved.
This area is a Portland address, but is in Washington, County. Therefore, Washington Country Sheriff's Office took over the investigation and their Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) responded to the scene.
If anyone has information about this case, please e-mail crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference Portland Police case number 26-2045.
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