Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt today announced that a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge sentenced Zachary Michael Chronister, 29, to 150 months in prison for a 2022 incident in which he shot at a Portland Police Bureau officer while eluding.Â
Incident
On February 17, 2022, officers with the Portland Police Focused Intervention Team were patrolling near Northeast Sandy Boulevard and I-205 when they saw a driver committing several traffic violations, including dangerous lane changes and failing to stop at stop signs. When the officers initiated a traffic stop, the driver of the vehicle increased speed in an attempt to elude. Anticipating that the driver may try to get onto westbound I-84 from Sandy, a PPB officer deployed spike strips at the on-ramp. As the driver neared the spike strip, the front seat passenger of the car, later identified as Zachary Chronister, rolled down his window, leaned out, and fired three shots at the officer; the officer was not hit. A PPB Air Support Unit caught the shooting on video using infrared technology.
Officers pursued the vehicle from a distance as it drove with multiple flat tires on northbound I-5 into Washington. At the request of PPB, Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) joined to assist. The vehicle crashed near Northeast St. Johns Road and Northeast 68th Street in Vancouver, and the three occupants ran away on foot. Two were immediately detained, one was captured after a K9 track, and three firearms were found in the car. The driver accepted a non-cooperating plea deal and the back seat passenger accepted a cooperating plea deal; he then testified at trial consistent with the above facts.
Trial & Sentencing
Senior Deputy District Attorney Shawn Overstreet represented the state at trial, which took place in front of Judge Melvin Oden-Orr from October 23 to 25, 2023. The 12-person jury delivered a verdict on October 25, 2023, finding Chronister guilty of three charges:
- Attempted Murder in the Second Degree with a Firearm
- Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Judge Oden-Orr imposed the 150-month prison sentence today. Chronister is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
