Portland Police arrested seven individuals Wednesday night following a disturbance involving a group of minibike riders in downtown Portland. According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers were monitoring for demonstrations when they spotted the riders performing "burnouts" at Pioneer Courthouse Square.
The situation escalated as the riders fled northbound on Southwest 6th Avenue, blatantly running red lights, prompting an immediate police response. Despite their efforts to elude authorities, the Air Support Unit kept visual contact, tracking them over the Burnside Bridge and into a gas station parking lot on Southeast Martin Luther King, Jr Boulevard and Southeast Alder Street. Subsequently, officers arrested seven people, now facing varying charges of Reckless Driving and, in the case of one individual, the Attempt to Elude Police by Vehicle, as reported by the Portland Police Bureau.
Among those booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center are Stanley J. Hawes, 27; Dakota S. Van Syoc, 25; Jacob D. Sollers, 38; Kyle M. Kutz, 32; Lathan T. Nagle, 27; Dwight E. Guthrie, 27; and Brandon J. McAndrew, 31. Their minibikes, which appeared homemade with small engines and lacked the required license plates and lighting, were seized and towed. One of the involved riders managed to flee on foot, abandoning his bike and evading immediate capture, as mentioned by the Portland Police Bureau.
In the midst of the arrests, one officer sustained a hand injury, for which he was later treated at a local hospital. He has been released, however, is expected to miss a week of duty due to his injuries, as per the Portland Police Bureau. Photos released of the incident show handcuffed riders alongside officers, minibikes being hauled away, and one detained individual being searched beside a row of police motorcycles.
