Portland police say they broke up three separate street takeover events across Northeast Portland on Tuesday night, hauling off multiple cars and arresting two adults while citing a 17-year-old. In one stop, officers say they also found a firearm inside a vehicle.
Officers first rolled up on a takeover near Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northeast Ainsworth Street, where they stopped a car and arrested 21-year-old Moises Lucero. Police say Lucero was booked on reckless driving and reckless endangerment charges, and his vehicle was towed.
A short time later, at Northeast 13th Avenue and Northeast Lloyd Boulevard, officers say they stopped another car and arrested 21-year-old Henock Mekuria after finding a firearm inside his vehicle. That car was also towed, according to police.
Less than an hour after the first incident, officers headed to the 3900 block of Northeast Marine Drive, where a 17-year-old driver was cited and their car impounded, as reported by FOX 12 Oregon.
“Street takeovers are incredibly dangerous and put participants, spectators and innocent community members at risk,” Portland Police Chief Bob Day said. He praised officers for quickly stepping in and making arrests, according to FOX 12 Oregon.
How Police Can Tow and Charge Drivers
Portland city code makes unlawful street takeovers explicitly illegal and lays out penalties that can include fines or diversion programs for first-time offenders. Under Portland City Code 14A.30.080, officers can impound vehicles when they have probable cause to believe a car was used in an unlawful street takeover. The Portland Police Bureau’s vehicle-disposition directive further outlines how impounds and evidence holds work. PPB directive 0630.60 explains when vehicles may be towed and retained.
A Pattern of Late-Night Takeovers
Tuesday’s incidents fit into a broader pattern of late-night street takeovers that Portland has been trying to rein in this year, which is why police say they are keeping up targeted patrols and spot enforcement. Earlier this spring, a Lloyd Center takeover ended with guns seized and cars hauled off.
Lucero and Mekuria were booked on reckless driving and reckless endangerment counts, police said, while the 17-year-old received a citation. The impounded vehicles will be processed under the bureau’s evidence and impound rules. The Portland Police Bureau posts case updates and media information on its website as investigations continue.
