Hood River, OR. — A Hood River Police officer responding to a domestic disturbance on December 5 encountered reports of a reckless driver who had nearly struck pedestrians minutes earlier, ultimately leading to the arrest of a DUII suspect.
Police were dispatched around 9:54 p.m. to a residence in the Heights neighborhood for a domestic disturbance call. While en route, an officer was flagged down at the intersection of State Street and 9th Street by several individuals who reported that a gray Toyota Tacoma had almost hit them in a crosswalk before speeding south toward Children’s Park. Because the pedestrians were unharmed, the officer continued to the original call.
Once two officers arrived at the disturbance, the third officer returned to search for the pedestrians to take an official statement, but they could not be located.
A short time later, dispatch received another report that a reckless driver had again nearly hit two pedestrians at the same intersection. Callers told dispatchers they followed the vehicle until it pulled into the Hood River Emergency Room parking lot.
While the first two officers continued investigating the domestic disturbance, the third officer located the suspect vehicle at the ER and took the driver into custody for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants.
Police are asking the two pedestrians involved in the near-miss incident—or anyone with additional information—to contact the non-emergency line at 541-386-2711 and request to speak with Sgt. Rivera.
“Hood River Officers prioritize the safety of our residents and visitors and take incidents of reckless driving extremely seriously,” the department said in a statement. “Drinking and driving should never be an option, particularly when operating a 4,000-pound vehicle.”
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