Late Saturday night in North Portland, what started as a massive street-racing meet-up ended with one man in custody and a BMW on a tow truck, after police broke up yet another takeover along a familiar stretch of city streets.
Officers were first called to the area of NE 158th Avenue and NE Airport Way, where roughly 100 people and cars had converged. As the crowd shifted locations, police followed the rolling spectacle onto NE MLK Boulevard and then to a parking lot in the 14300 block of North Columbia Boulevard. The sweep was part of ongoing targeted patrols aimed at shutting down dangerous takeover activity that has been drawing big crowds and leading to high-speed escapes.
Around 11:40 p.m., officers tried to pull over a driver in a red Corvette. Police said the driver took off, hitting speeds close to 100 mph before crossing into Washington and disappearing from the area. Later that night, officers moved to stop a BMW. This time, the driver ditched the car on Hayden Island and ran into a nearby parking lot, where officers found him hiding and took him into custody.
Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Spencer Rhoden. He was booked into the Multnomah County jail on charges that include attempt to elude by vehicle, attempt to elude on foot and reckless driving, and the BMW was towed as evidence, according to KPTV.
Portland Police Target Familiar Takeover Hot Spots
The Portland Police Bureau has been running similar street-racing missions in recent months in an effort to break up organized takeovers before they spiral. Those operations have used patrol units and air support to clear intersections and seize vehicles and firearms, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Police have described a pattern of events that keep popping up in the same corridors, including the stretches hit on Saturday night, with racers and spectators hopping between staging lots and public roads. The bureau says it will keep up targeted weekend-night enforcement in an effort to cut the risk to bystanders and everyone else caught in the mix.
Charges And Legal Stakes
Under Oregon law, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer while driving is treated more seriously than simply speeding. It can be charged as a felony, while fleeing on foot can be a misdemeanor, according to the Oregon Legislature. A conviction can bring jail time and suspension of driving privileges, and prosecutors may also pursue civil or criminal forfeiture of vehicles used in illegal activity. Whether to seek tougher penalties is left to local prosecutors, who decide based on the specifics of each case.
“PPB continues to prioritize enforcement against illegal street racing and takeover activity, which pose significant risks to participants, bystanders, and the community,” the bureau said in a release, according to KPTV. The bureau's towing guidance and previous updates state that seized cars are routinely impounded and, in some cases, may be pursued for forfeiture, per a prior Portland Police Bureau release.
Neighbors concerned about late-night noise and high-speed stunts have noticed the stepped-up patrols and say extra squad cars have become a regular weekend sight as police try to keep the takeovers in check.
