Officers and Deputies engaged in another multi-agency Stolen Vehicle Operation (SVO), resulting in several arrests, recovered stolen vehicles, guns, and drugs seized. Also, during the mission, a drunk driver crashed into a police vehicle with two officers inside.
On Friday, July 14, 2023, East Precinct, along with Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a Stolen Vehicle Operation. It is part of an ongoing effort stretching back nearly 2 years to use evidence-based methodology to greatly increase the chances of stopping occupied stolen vehicles. The effort is targeting not just the stolen vehicles, but the other crimes linked to stolen vehicles. Here’s a short video about the effort from Commander Erica Hurley: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ngM42DrAjvk
In Friday’s mission, preliminary data suggests Officers and Deputies, assisted by the Air Support Unit and the K9 Unit, conducted 41 stops and recovered 9 stolen vehicles. That’s a ratio of 1 stolen vehicle located for every 5 stops, which is in line with the mission motto of “Fewer Stops, Better Outcomes.”
Preliminary figures indicate Officers and Deputies arrested 11 people, seized 3 guns, serviced 7 arrest warrants, and towed 5 vehicles (photos). Mission coordinators are still processing reports, and final data could be slightly different after data sheets are cross-referenced with police reports over the next few days. The names and charges of those arrested will be available later this week.
During the mission, a Portland Police vehicle, with two officers inside, was rear-ended by a drunk driver. The officers were sore but not seriously hurt. At about 4:42p.m., two officers in a fully marked Portland Police patrol vehicle were stopped in the center refuge lane of Southeast 122nd Avenue just north of Southeast Stark Street. They activated their rear emergency lights that included yellow directional lights (sweeping left to right) and red and blue flashing lights in order to alert traffic behind them. They were set up there because other mission officers were attempting to stop a rolling stolen vehicle down the street near Southeast Stark Street at Southeast 125th Avenue. Drivers of stolen vehicles frequently attempt to elude police. The officers were set up to, if needed, use pursuit intervention techniques such as spike strips to deflate the vehicle’s tires and limit the eluding driver’s ability to put the community in danger through dangerous driving practices.
A driver approached from behind and slammed into their vehicle at an estimated 35 miles per hour, pushing the police vehicle forward about 10 feet. The officers got out and arrested the driver of the 2006 Toyota Avalon. After a DUII investigation by two Traffic Division officers, the driver was determined to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.20%, 2 1/2 times the legal limit to drive. Roman V. Grigorichuk, 45, of Portland, was issued a criminal citation for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants-Alcohol and violation citation for Failure to Install Ignition Interlock Device, Driving While Suspended-Violation and Driving Uninsured.
