A welfare check in an east Multnomah County parking lot turned into a chaotic crash-and-chase Monday morning, when a stolen car allegedly rammed a Multnomah County Sheriff's Office patrol SUV, hit several parked vehicles and triggered a brief pursuit that ended with two people in custody.
From welfare check to crash in seconds
Deputies were called around 10 a.m. to check on two people reportedly passed out in a vehicle parked in an accessible parking space. According to KPTV, deputies pulled in behind the car, which they later learned had been reported stolen.
Investigators say the driver immediately fired up the engine and used the car as a battering ram, slamming into the patrol SUV. While trying to get away, the driver also struck several parked vehicles, then headed east on Northeast Halsey Street and north on Northeast 238th Drive. Deputies followed and used a PIT maneuver to stop the car near Interstate 84, the Sheriff's Office said.
What a PIT maneuver actually is
A PIT, short for pursuit intervention technique, is a tactic in which a pursuing vehicle nudges the fleeing car's rear quarter panel to spin it out and bring it to a stop. It is a common but tightly regulated option for ending vehicle pursuits, according to PoliceOne. Agencies weigh the potential public safety benefits against the risks to suspects, officers and bystanders, and rely on training and policy guidelines to decide when it can be used.
Foot chase on the tracks, airsoft gun in the car
Once the vehicle came to a stop, deputies say the driver, identified as 23-year-old Angel Bourdage, bailed out and ran toward nearby railroad tracks while wearing a tactical vest with a holster. The passenger stayed at the scene. Inside the car, investigators reported finding an airsoft gun.
With help from the Gresham Police Department, deputies later located and arrested Bourdage and a 35-year-old woman, according to KPTV. Bourdage was booked into jail on charges that included an outstanding warrant, and authorities said the woman will be booked as well.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office has not released further information, and the investigation remains active. Officials say booking information and any formal charges will be reflected in county records as the case moves forward.
