Chaos erupted on a Tigard highway Wednesday evening when a 43-year-old man careened his pickup truck into multiple vehicles and brandished a knife during a dangerous outburst. David Rudge was arrested after allegedly hitting six cars and causing a serious collision that sent two people to the hospital, KPTV reported.
Around 5:36 p.m., Tigard police arrived on the scene at Southwest Pacific Highway, near Southwest 78th to find several cars struck by Rudge's truck. According to witnesses, Rudge had been driving erratically before plowing through a red light and initiating the sequence of crashes, KATU disclosed. The investigation concluded that five cars were hit along southbound 99W, and then, after running a red light at the intersection with 78th, Rudge's pickup collided with a sixth vehicle.
In the aftermath of the crash, witnesses saw Rudge exit his damaged truck wielding a knife. The Tigard Police Department reported that officers responded rapidly to contain the threat and apprehend the suspect. The incident caused significant disruptions along the highway as emergency teams worked to clear the wreckage and assist the injured.
Details from the scene indicated the aggressive encounter with the pickup and one of the cars being wrecked in the collision. Despite Rudge's menacing behavior with the knife, police were able to arrest him without further incidents, KVAL reported. As of this report, the conditions of the hospitalized individuals are yet to be disclosed, and the investigation into the cause of Rudge’s erratic driving is ongoing.
