VANCOUVER, Wash. — The driver of a stolen semi tractor is in custody following a police chase from Portland into Vancouver on Monday that ended with a standoff on I-205 and closed the interstate, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies had to use spike strips to stop the semi, puncturing the tires. One of the tires came completely off, forcing the suspects to stop in the northbound lanes of the interstate just before 11 a.m. The driver and passenger barricaded themselves inside and refused to get out of the semi.
The sheriff's office said about 40 minutes later that the two were taken into custody. The driver has been identified as 39-year-old Jesus “Jessie” Meza-Sanchez. He's been charged with assault, elude, criminal mischief, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
A female passenger was initially taken into custody, but was not charged with a crime and has since been released, MCSO said.
The incident started around 9 a.m. when the owner of the stolen semi tractor, Knight Transportation, tracked it to Fairview and called law enforcement to report it. Deputies followed the semi tractor to Blue Lake Regional Park and attempted to box it in to prevent the suspects from driving away.
Video shows the driver of the stolen truck smashing through at least two sheriff’s vehicles before driving away.
“When the driver wanted out of our box that we had, the truck was plenty big enough to push our vehicles out of the way,” said John Plock, public information officer for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies used spike strips at multiple locations to deflate the semi's tires as it drove from Northeast 223rd Avenue to I-84 and then northbound on I-205. The driver continued on I-205 over the Glenn Jackson Memorial Bridge, traveling between 50 and 65 miles per hour. Deputies reported that the "semi’s two front tires had disintegrated and (it) was riding on rims." Several of the rear tires were also coming off.
Just north of Northeast Burton Road, the semi slowed and came to a stop. At 11:30 a.m., the driver and passenger exited the truck on their own "without further incident," MCSO said.
At least one deputy went to a hospital with minor injuries. No other injuries or damage to vehicles were reported.
Meza-Sanchez made his first court appearance Tuesday before a Clark County judge. His bail was set at $200,000, with the judge marveling over his lengthy criminal history in Washington, Oregon and Nevada. Meza-Sanchez did not waive extradition for prior warrants out of Oregon.
According to court documents, Meza-Sanchez was let out on supervised release in late May after he was arrested for allegedly trying to break into two Northwest Portland homes.
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