PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man is in custody after leading police on a chase in Beaverton Wednesday afternoon that left several people hurt.
The chase ended at SW Murray and Teal Blvd., just north of Scholls Ferry Road around 2:30 p.m. when the suspect, Chase Larrazabal, crashed an SUV into a pond. Beaverton police said he had been driving recklessly and attempted to ram a few patrol cars before the crash.
“The driver of the Mercury Mountaineer, which is crashed, tried to ram three of our patrol cars. After that we continued to pursue,” Jeremy Shaw with Beaverton police said.
Dannette King and her friend Cindy Banks were having lunch when they saw the SUV coming toward them from across the pond.
“We heard sirens and what sounded like speed and then this huge explosion,” King told KOIN 6 News.
Witnesses said they weren’t sure what would happen next.
“To have him get out and for police to draw their weapons — is this guy going to give up? It was terrifying,” Banks said.
Larrazabal was wanted for a previous incident of eluding police last week.
Larrazabal and his 35-year-old female passenger were both taken into custody. Police said the woman was released without any charges after she was interviewed.
Multiple vehicles were also hit during the crash. Two people in one car were sent to the hospital with minor injuries while a 66-year-old woman in a red Lexus suffered serious injuries.
TVF&R said they had to remove and treat people involved in the crash, though they didn’t specify who.
Larrazabal had multiple warrants out for his arrest including theft and not appearing in court.
“We pray for the lady in the red car,” King said. “That was not her choice to be in that wrong place. So all of our prayers are with her tonight.”
Larrazabal was lodged at the Washington County Jail on his three misdemeanor warrants, 1st-degree attempted assault, 2nd-degree assault, felony elude and crimes associated with last week’s incident.