On July 10, 2022, at 5:20 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a crash at SW 194th Avenue and SW Johnson Street in the community of Aloha. Multiple people called 911 after a driver crashed into two cars. The driver, later identified as 32-year-old Melissa Valdez of Hillsboro, then tried to get away from a witness who tackled her to stop her from fleeing. Valdez said she would stay and removed her shoes, but then ran away barefoot.
Multiple deputies surrounded the area, including a K9 team from the Hillsboro Police Department. Valdez was jumping and breaking fences as she ran from the crash scene, as well as going into homes and garages. After almost an hour of searching, deputies were initially not able to find Valdez.
However, a person who lives in the area told deputies he thought someone may be in his house. Deputies surrounded the home and found Valdez hiding in a bedroom in the 19000 block of SW Trelane Street. She was arrested at 6:35 p.m., more than an hour after the initial 911 calls.
Valdez was lodged into jail on two counts of misdemeanor failure to perform the duties of a driver (hit and run causing property damage), criminal trespassing, and a probation violation. Additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.
