PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon State Police arrested a man accused of stealing and crashing multiple vehicles early Friday morning.
OSP said Anthony Gates of Portland stole a minivan out of Wilsonville from a family of essential workers and headed northbound on Interstate 5. Gates, 28, reportedly lost control of the van and crashed into a guard rail near the 282 Exit offramp.
A good samaritan driving a Chevy pickup saw the crash, pulled over and got out to help all parties involved. OSP said that while the man was calling 911, Gates hopped into the truck and sped off. Gates then once again lost control and rolled down an embankment. The truck crashed into a blue exit/food sign, which totaled the truck.
Gates fled the scene and made his way to a retirement home.
“[He] woke some of the residents to try and call his parent for help,” OSP said in a release Saturday. “The residents called 911 and Gates fled again.”
Later, Gates’ mother called 911 to inform police her son had “fractured” his neck and “nicked an artery” in a separate crash a week prior. She subsequently told police Gates was a heavy heroin user and had active warrants out.
Gates was later discovered by an OSP officer near the Charboneau Golf Club.
“[He] had dried blood on his face and was impaired to a visible and perceptible degree,” said OSP. He was treated for injuries at the Oregon Health & Science University before being taken to Clackamas County Jail.
The family who had their minivan stolen said they rely on that vehicle to get them to work. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to recoup some of their losses.