A man in his 20s is in critical condition after police say a domestic dispute that officers were never told about spiraled into a string of car crashes and ended with him shooting himself along SW Allen Boulevard in Beaverton. Officers were called to the crash scene at 4:28 p.m. Saturday, and found a black 2010 Volkswagen Routan minivan wrapped around a tree.
According to the KPTV report, the man had been involved in a domestic disturbance with his partner earlier that day, during which he allegedly pointed a gun at her, police said. Officers were not called to that disturbance when it happened, and the Beaverton Police Department has said the pair had already separated before his driving spree began, according to a release from the department distributed via FlashAlert. The dispute reportedly escalated into multiple crashes along SW Davis Road and SW Allen Boulevard before ending in the self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.
A Crash Corridor Shut Down for Hours
The crash that ended the spree happened between SW 141st Avenue and SW Murray Boulevard, a stretch of SW Allen Boulevard posted at 30 mph as it runs through a residential neighborhood, per the Beaverton Police Department's Facebook post on the incident. That corridor has previously drawn attention from local residents and city commissioners in municipal traffic calming discussions. Police shut down SW Allen Boulevard in both directions for several hours while investigators processed the scene, per the FlashAlert release.
The City of Beaverton also maintains digital photo enforcement technology nearby at SW Allen Boulevard and SW Lombard Avenue, aimed at catching speeding and red-light violations in the area, according to the Beaverton Police Department. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crashes, police said, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Why Police Are Withholding His Name
The man was driving the minivan and suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he was taken to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of Monday. Police have declined to release his identity, citing the sensitive nature of the domestic violence and self-inflicted gunshot investigation, and said no other details are being released at this time.
Oregon law lays out steep potential consequences depending on how the case develops. Pointing a firearm at another person without legal justification is an unclassified misdemeanor under ORS 166.190, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine. If prosecutors pursue a charge tied to unlawfully discharging or attempting to use a weapon against another person, ORS 166.220 classifies that as Unlawful Use of a Weapon, a Class C felony carrying up to five years in prison. Separately, driving under the influence of intoxicants is a Class A misdemeanor under ORS 813.010, carrying up to a year in jail, a mandatory minimum $1,000 fine, and license suspension.
Domestic Violence Prosecutions in Washington County
Whether any of those charges materialize may fall to the Washington County District Attorney's Office, which created a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit in May 2019. That unit's formation led to a 162% jump in domestic violence case filings during its first full month of operation, according to the district attorney's office. It remains an open question whether charges will be filed if the man survives his critical injuries, particularly around the alleged gun-pointing incident and any DUII allegations connected to the crashes.
Washington County residents affected by domestic violence can reach the Domestic Violence Resource Center's 24-hour crisis line at 503-469-8620, according to the City of Tigard. The county also operates Monika's House, described as its sole confidential emergency domestic violence shelter.
The Beaverton crash spree follows other recent traffic tragedies in the area, including a $39M road safety lawsuit filed by a Beaverton father in August and the March death of a Portland State student on Highway 217. Police say their investigation into Saturday's crashes and shooting remains ongoing, and no further details have been released.
