Driver flees police, hits building; wrong-way driver snarls Hwy 26
PORTLAND, Ore. - Police were busy with two crashes in the Portland area early Thursday morning, including one driver that hit a building and another going the wrong way on a freeway.
Just after 1:20 a.m., Sgt. Pete Simpson said an officer spotted "possible drug activity" involving a vehicle near SE 122nd and Market and tried to pull the driver over near SE 119th and Clinton Street.
But police said the driver, identified as Lloyd Nelson, 37, tried to flee instead and a chase ensued - around the block, twice.
Nelson hit parked cars and a mailbox with his 2000 Dodge Durango but kept on going, police said, eventually turning into a parking lot.
Nelson then hit a building housing several businesses near SE 122nd and Woodward. Police said he was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Investigators said they found body armor and drugs in Nelson's car.
Police said Nelson was taken to the Multnomah County Jail on charges of felon in possession of body armor, attempt to elude by vehicle, possession of heroin, possession of methamphetamine, attempt to elude on foot, failure to perform the duties of a driver, reckless driving, and theft in the second degree by receiving.
Meanwhile, police said a wrong-way driver caused a crash and major traffic jam when he drove the wrong way onto Highway 26 just before 5 a.m.
The crash took place in the westbound lanes and police said the driver, identified as Eric Christian Lovato, 22, was going eastbound in the westbound lanes near the Oregon Zoo.
Police did not say how many vehicles were involved in the crash or if there were any injuries. Lovato faces DUII and reckless driving charges, police said .
Traffic backed up on both Highway 26 and Highway 405 in Portland but crews eventually cleared the crash scene and all lanes reopened as rush hour arrived.
Both incidents are under investigation by police. Nelson is due in court on Friday.
they should push that gurney he's on down a steep road filled with semi's
That's dangerous. A car can be more dangerous than a gun, but the value of human life has fallen so low that people don't even stop anymore when they hit someone, they just drive off. Even if they run and get caught later, they'll only get a year for killing someone and running. On the other hand, the value of criminals' lives has increased. A murderer can kill two or three people and he'll likely never be put to death, the taxpayers will feed and house him the rest of his life and he might even be set free. I think eventually we'll see a backlash against this and a return to harsher punishment for people who endanger and kill others. In hard economic times, we may have to discontinue the taxpayer funded retirement program for convicted criminals. Children go hungry so we can afford to feed murderers chicken dinners while they watch TV.Â
Hmmm...I'm thinking ol' Lloyd is not one of the brighter ones...nor Eric, either.
Two in one day! Probably stressed out over the failure of Measure 80.
While listening to this chase on the scanner I was amazed at how calm the cop was through the whole thing. You could hear his siren and his engine racing over the radio, but he was just calmly relaying details (traffic is light, streets are dry, going around the block again) like he was talking about what to have for dinner. They authorized him to do a pit maneuver when he could. But then the guy started crashing and the cop was radioing in descriptions of the other cars (including license plate numbers) & locations, asking them to send help to the victims, all while pursuing this idiot. Even when the guy hit the building the cop was totally cool and collected saying the driver was trying to bail and to get a K9 unit ready just in case. My heart was racing just listening to all this and he just totally handled it like it was nothing.
So, he hit the wall?
 @Lost River From the look of his forehead, I'd say he hit it face-first after he got out of the truck. LOL!
Keeping Portland weird, nothing new here. Move along move along.
I guess if the driver isn't identified, it's assumed to be a male
"PORTLAND, Ore. - Police were busy with two idiots in the Portland area early Thursday morning, including one idiot that hit a building and another [idiot] going the wrong way on a freeway.
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Just after 1:20 a.m., Sgt. Pete Simpson said an officer spotted an idiot near SE 112th and Powell Boulevard and tried to pull the idiot over.
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But police said the idiot tried to flee instead and a chase ensued. The idiot hit parked cars and a mailbox, but kept on going, eventually turning into a parking lot."
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I've fixed the first three paragraphs KATU. Â You can take it from here and, you're welcome.
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s-gnarly
Two guys walk into a bar....you know the rest.
 @NiKnowZ You think one of them would have ducked!
 @NiKnowZ Ole goes to a bar to meet his friend, Sven. He spies Sven sittin' at da bar, with a dog underneath his chair.
Ole says, "Hey, Sven, does your dog bite?"
"No, Ole," says Sven, "he don't.
"Well, kin I pet da dog?"
"Sure, says Sven."
Ole reaches down to pet the dog, and the dog bites him on the hand!
"Hey," says Ole, "why'd yer dog bite me?!"
"Oh," says Ole, "that ain't my dog."
 @Mikey  @NiKnowZ You should see the Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther for the best rendition of that. ;-)