Portland police apprehended a car theft suspect on Friday, accused of causing several collisions and serious injuries. David A. Callaway, 27, faces multiple charges, including car theft and assault, and has been booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. Alongside him, 21-year-old Brooklyn J. Williams, who was a passenger in the allegedly stolen 2025 BMW X6, was also taken into custody due to multiple outstanding warrants.
The incident began as an investigation into a stolen vehicle but escalated when drivers of two Toyota Priuses were hospitalized with serious injuries, and another unoccupied vehicle was damaged during the series of crashes.
The situation unfolded just after 10 a.m. when a public safety support specialist responded to a report of a stolen car near Northwest Marshall Street and Northwest 13th Avenue. Upon locating the BMW with occupants inside, he called for backup from police officers.
As officers arrived, the driver is reported to have sped away recklessly, intentionally evading law enforcement despite their activated emergency lights. Rather than pursuing immediately, the first responding officer turned off his lights in an attempt to encourage the driver to slow down.
However, the driver continued to drive dangerously, leading to a minor crash at Northwest 16th and Northrup before fleeing the scene. He was then involved in a more serious collision with two Toyota sedans at Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest Lovejoy Street, one of which was hit with such force that it rolled onto its side.
After the crash, a Portland Police Bureau officer positioned their vehicle to block the stolen car, anticipating that the driver might attempt to escape again. Callaway reportedly tried to flee on foot but was quickly surrounded and arrested by numerous responding officers.
Callaway now faces charges that include two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver (one for injury and one for property damage), unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of reckless endangering, possession of methamphetamine, and outstanding warrants.
