A 62-year-old man is in hot water after police say he drove drunk through a Portland police barricade sunday morning, during the annual Shamrock Run, endangering runners and sparking alarm amongst event participants and bystanders. Brian Rhone, the accused driver, now faces several charges, including driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) and reckless endangerment, the Portland police revealed.
Rhone was arrested after allegedly speeding past a barricade set up near Southwest Barbur Boulevard and Hamilton Street at around 9:54 a.m. He was apprehended shortly thereafter in a grocery store parking lot with open alcohol in his vehicle, Portland police confirmed. According to KOIN, Rhone narrowly missed a participant before being stopped.
No injuries were reported in the incident, which could have easily to turned tragic had a runner been hit. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) highlighted the close call in a post on X from their traffic division, drawing attention to the potential peril such recklessness can inflict upon public gatherings.
Driver arrested for DUII and Reckless Endangerment after bypassing police barricades at the Shamrock Run, nearly hitting a participant. Open alcohol in the car. pic.twitter.com/jiARGYtFyd
— PPB Traffic Division (@ppbtraffic) March 17, 2024
Brian W. Rhone is now charged with DUII-alcohol, sporting a .10 blood alcohol concentration (BAC), along with the counts of reckless driving and endangerment to public safety, as detailed by KGW. His decision to operate a vehicle while intoxicated has sharply been condemned, punctuating the ongoing concerns surrounding impaired driving and its potential to abruptly shatter lives.
The Shamrock Run, a popular annual event in the heart of Portland, went on despite the unsettling episode, a testament to the community's resilience and commitment to tradition and togetherness in the face of adversity. The PPB continues to investigate the circumstances of the incident and has not released any further details on potential motives behind Rhone's alleged actions.
