A 37-year-old Portland man with a lengthy criminal record has been charged in what prosecutors describe as an unprovoked assault on a MAX light-rail train that left another rider with a head laceration last fall. Authorities say the attack took place on Sept. 22, 2025, on an eastbound train in downtown Portland. The suspect, identified as Carroll McClendon, has been held in the Multnomah County jail since February.
According to KATU, officers were called on Sept. 22 to the intersection of Southwest Yamhill Street and Southwest Ninth Avenue, where they found a rider with a laceration on the top of his head and blood running down his face. CCTV included with court filings reportedly shows the suspect walk up to the man on the eastbound MAX train and hit him in the head five times without provocation. The station reports that McClendon is scheduled to be arraigned on misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and two counts of interfering with public transportation.
As detailed in a 2020 press release from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, McClendon was previously arrested and charged after an off-duty Portland Fire lieutenant was stabbed at a downtown bar, a case prosecutors cite when outlining his prior contacts with police. Court filings and historic booking information show arrests and probationary terms going back several years, and prosecutors are pointing to that record in filings tied to the MAX incident.
KATU also reports that McClendon has multiple open criminal cases and that he was lodged in the Multnomah County Jail in February 2026. The station notes it was unclear why prosecutors waited until now to file charges in the MAX case. According to the report, his most recent arrest before the filing came after he was allegedly seen standing on top of a MAX train on North Interstate Avenue.
TriMet Exclusions And Safety Rules
TriMet’s security information explains that people who violate the transit code can receive warnings, fines or formal exclusions from TriMet property. Exclusions can last from a few hours to long-term bans, depending on the offense. The agency also highlights its security cameras and Transit Police patrols as key tools for documenting incidents that can support criminal charges and formal exclusions from the system. TriMet lays out the code and enforcement options on its security pages.
Charges And Legal Context
Under Oregon law, interfering with public transportation is defined in ORS 166.116 and includes conduct such as entering or remaining unlawfully on a transit vehicle, blocking movement or engaging in disorderly conduct on board. Some subsections qualify as Class A misdemeanors, depending on the behavior and prior convictions. Penalties vary by subsection and by a defendant’s record, so how prosecutors choose to charge the case will affect McClendon’s potential exposure if he is convicted. See ORS 166.116 for statutory details. Justia
McClendon remains in custody as the case moves forward. His arraignment was listed for Tuesday morning in reporting tied to the filing, and future court documents and Multnomah County dockets will show whether prosecutors expand or modify the charges as investigators and attorneys continue to review the evidence.
