VANCOUVER, Wash. — The man accused of stealing a semi-truck tractor, ramming several Multnomah County Sheriff's Office vehicles and leading authorities on a chase along I-205 into Clark County on Monday made his first appearance in court Tuesday. A judge granted prosecutors their full request for bail, setting it at $200,000.
Judge David E. Gregerson marveled as a Clark County prosecutor read off Jesus Ernesto Meza-Sanchez's criminal history in Washington, Oregon and Nevada.
According to the prosecutor, Meza-Sanchez had an active warrant in Washington for a 2022 DUI arrest, but his history in Nevada was much more extensive — including charges for car theft, domestic battery, battery, unlawful possession of a firearm and DUI stretching from 2013 to 2019.
Before that, the prosecutor said, Meza-Sanchez had charges in Oregon stretching from 2005 to 2009 for felony coercion, DUI, assault and criminal trespass, among others.
Most recently, Meza-Sanchez had an active Oregon warrant related to second-degree burglary, criminal mischief and theft of services charges. He was also charged in May with first-degree burglary and criminal mischief after allegedly breaking into two Northwest Portland homes, but the Clark County prosecutor said there was no active warrant for that case.
There was no warrant as yet, the prosecutor added, for the crimes Meza-Sanchez allegedly committed on the Oregon side of the border before leading police north on I-205 into Clark County.
"With that criminal history, and then with the conduct discussed in the probable cause statement, your honor," the prosecutor said, "we view this defendant as both a flight risk and a significant danger to community safety. Our bail request here will be $200,000 and we'll ask the court to set supervised release at the intensive level."
After consulting privately, Meza-Sanchez's public defender requested a 10.77 evaluation, which is the Washington statute for criminal insanity. He refused to waive extradition for Meza-Sanchez's warrant out of Oregon.
"Based on the probable cause finding and the somewhat extraordinary presentation made as relayed by the state," Judge Gregerson said, "a very extensive criminal history (that is) somewhat alarming, and most alarming of all is the events from yesterday which apparently shut down major interstate travel in both directions for a very substantial period of time ... based on that, I think there is a significant public safety factor which justifies the state's request."
Judge Gregerson set bail in the case at $200,000 and scheduled an arraignment in the case for June 24 at 9 a.m.
Standoff closes highway
Deputies from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office began tracking a semi-truck tractor Monday morning after the owners, Knight Transportation, reported it stolen. They followed it to Blue Lake Regional Park in Fairview and attempted to box it in, but video from the scene shows the driver ramming two sheriff's office vehicles before driving away.
The pursuit led onto I-84 and then northbound on I-205. Though deputies successfully used spike strips on the tractor, the driver kept going even as its tires fell apart and it was "riding on rims."
Near Northeast Burton Road in Clark County, the driver stopped. After a standoff lasting about 40 minutes, shutting down I-205, the driver and a passenger got out of the truck. Authorities arrested the driver, identified as Meza-Sanchez, but released the passenger.
At least one deputy went to a hospital with minor injuries. No other injuries or damage to vehicles were reported.