Portland police arrest 14, tow 16 cars in street racing crackdown

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say 14 people were arrested and 16 cars were towed after street racers took over several streets in Portland Sunday night.

Some of those arrested were from California and Washington.

Portland police said more than 400 vehicles gathered for a speed racing event about 8 p.m.

Street racing has been an ongoing problem in Portland over the years and increasingly recently.

Hundreds of Cars Involved in Speed Racing Events, Arrests and Tows Made (Photo)
Portland Police Bureau - 11/09/20 4:34 AM

Hundreds of people and vehicles were involved in speed racing events throughout Portland Sunday evening, including multiple street takeovers. Responding officers made numerous arrests and towed vehicles.

On Sunday, November 8, 2020 at about 8:00 p.m., Portland Police responded to reports of 400-plus vehicles gathering for speed racing events in the area of Northeast Airport Way and Northeast 122nd Avenue. While there was information about a protest planned (see related press release), some officers assigned to the protest were diverted to address the speed racing.

While the dangerous and illegal speed racing events have been a problem for years in Portland, especially on Sunday evenings, lately participants and spectators have been more aggressive. There has been an uptick in street takeovers, where participants block traffic to perform stunts. Additionally, officers have noticed a more aggressive response to police, including items thrown at officers. Addressing these crimes has been challenging and resource intensive. With additional resources available, PPB was able to be more effective in addressing the problem. PPB learned that the speed racing events were advertised on social media and invited participants from other states.

Throughout the evening, Portland Police officers made numerous traffic stops and, through enforcement action, prompted participants to move repeatedly. During the event, those involved in the illegal street racing activity briefly took over the top deck of the Fremont Bridge, the Interstate Bridge, Sunset Highway tunnel and multiple intersections including Northeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard/Northeast Columbia Boulevard, North Marine Drive/North Portsmouth Avenue, and North Lombard St/North Ramsey Boulevard. At one point there were people riding on the hoods of vehicles as they drove recklessly around Northeast Sandy Boulevard in the Goodwill parking lot. Each of these incidents were quickly broken up by responding officers.

Sixteen vehicles were towed. Fourteen people were arrested and booked into jail. Three juveniles were detained in a stolen car and released to parents with a future court date.