The officers, assigned to North Precinct, were in their marked patrol cars, parked along the west curbline with their overhead lights off. They were in the process of concluding a call for service when a white 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe sideswiped both vehicles, causing significant damage to the Tahoe and both Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles.
The driver of the Chevrolet, identified as 47-year-old Charlotte L. West of Portland, was uninjured. However, one of the officers became briefly trapped in his vehicle due to the damage sustained to his door. Both officers received immediate medical attention at the scene from Portland Fire & Rescue and were subsequently transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
One officer was diagnosed with a concussion and neck pain, while the other sustained an injured shoulder. Preliminary assessments indicate that both officers may be off work for at least a week due to their injuries.
Following the collision, West was arrested at the scene, and an officer from the Traffic Division conducted an impaired driving investigation. She was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple charges, including Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and two counts of Assault in the Fourth Degree.
All three damaged vehicles were towed from the scene.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Traffic Division reported that it is currently participating in a joint Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) mission with nearby law enforcement agencies over the Labor Day weekend. Officers are taking a zero-tolerance approach to impaired driving and are urging motorists to prioritize safety on the roads.
“Each year, law enforcement responds to preventable collisions that have lasting impacts on individuals, families, and communities,” a PPB spokesperson stated in a press release. “We encourage all road users to drive safely and sober, avoiding behaviors that could lead to collisions, such as impairment, speeding, distractions, and disobeying traffic signals.”
