Police: Driver arrested after hitting several vehicles in SE Portland, ‘taunting’ officers

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV ) — A 30-year-old driver accused of crashing into several vehicles Thursday in southeast Portland now faces a variety of charges.

The Portland Police Bureau said officers responded just before noon Thursday to a reported disturbance in the 6200 block of Southeast 97th Avenue.

While police were heading to the scene, they learned someone fired a gun at a suspect vehicle related to a crash nearby. During that time, reports of hit-and-runs to other vehicles were coming in, PPB said.

One of the vehicles hit during the secondary incident was a FOX 12 news van, which had gone to the area to learn more about the first reported crash.

Once at the scene, officers contacted the person who fired the gunshots and detained him. No injuries were reported.

Officers then found the hit-and-run suspect vehicle, a yellow tow truck, and tried to stop it.

The driver of the tow truck did not stop and fled in a reckless manner, police said.

Officers did not pursue the suspect. They later located the tow truck at Southeast 92nd Avenue and Southeast Woodstock Boulevard.

Police used their patrol vehicles to box in the tow truck and prevent it from driving off.

At first, the driver refused to exit the truck. PPB said the suspect “held a knife to his throat while taunting officers.”

Officers with PPB’s Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team were called to assist, but on scene officers were able to convince the suspect to put the knife down and surrender.

Officers then connected the suspect to previous calls from Wednesday and Thursday, which involved him violating a restraining order protecting a family member.

The suspect, identified as Dolphus M. Creer Jr, was booked into the Multnomah County Jail.

He faces the following charges: three counts of first-degree attempted assault, two counts of second-degree attempted assault and three counts of violating a restraining order.

Police are investigating multiple reports to determine if more charges are appropriate, including the hit-and-run incidents.

PPB said the gunfire incident is also under investigation, but the person involved has not been charged with any crime at this time.

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