A 22-year-old Vancouver man is facing charges after Beaverton police say he tore down Highway 217 at more than 100 mph early Wednesday, refused to stop for an officer, killed his headlights, took the Hall Boulevard exit at high speed and plowed into a TriMet WES station shelter near Hall Boulevard.
According to KATU, the officer first spotted the car just after 1 a.m. near Allen Boulevard and followed it onto the southbound lanes of OR-217. Police identified the driver as 22-year-old Austin Terrell of Vancouver. Officers say he was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving and attempting to elude a police officer.
Beaverton Police Share Patrol Video, Say Crash ‘Could Have Ended Much Differently’
Beaverton Police posted patrol video of the pursuit on the department’s Instagram account and urged anyone who saw the incident to, if it is safe, record the suspect vehicle’s license plate, note a description of the driver and call police, according to Beaverton Police. “This incident could have ended much differently,” the agency said in the post, as reported by KATU.
Safety Upgrades Along Hall and 217, But Speeding Still a Trouble Spot
The Hall Boulevard and OR-217 corridor has been the focus of major safety work in recent years, including the OR-217 auxiliary lanes project and a rebuilt Hall overpass intended to improve crossings and traffic flow, as reported by KPTV. Even with the upgrades, enforcement officials say high-speed driving continues to be a local problem and is a factor in serious crashes along the route.
What the Charges Could Mean
Attempting to elude a police officer is defined under ORS 811.540, according to Justia, and in some circumstances can be charged as a Class C felony. Reckless driving, covered under ORS 811.140 and detailed by Justia, is a Class A misdemeanor. If a driver is convicted of these offenses, penalties can include jail time, fines and license-related consequences, and they can increase if the conduct causes serious injury or death.
Beaverton Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call the department’s non-emergency line at 503-629-0111. The department’s homepage lists that contact number and links to its social media accounts where the patrol video was shared, per Beaverton Police.
