On December 29, 2022 at approximately 9:21am, the Oregon State Police received multiple reports of a white Mercedes driving recklessly on I-5. An Oregon State Trooper located the vehicle and made a traffic stop. The driver yielded, the Trooper contacted him, and the Trooper told him he was under arrest. The driver told the Trooper “no I’m not” and drove off. Oregon State Troopers engaged in a short pursuit on I-5 and terminated it for safety reasons as they entered a congested area.
At approximately 11:00am Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputies contracted to the Wilsonville Police Department were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance of a male wearing yellow pants and pink shoes dancing in the street. Deputies arrived on scene and recognized his vehicle matched the description of the suspect vehicle in OSP’s pursuit earlier in the day. Deputies attempted to contact him and he took off in the vehicle while simultaneously striking an occupied CCSO patrol vehicle. Deputies engaged in a short pursuit and terminated it for safety reasons. No CCSO Deputies were injured.
At approximately 11:00am Clackamas County Sheriff’s Deputies contracted to the Wilsonville Police Department were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance of a male wearing yellow pants and pink shoes dancing in the street. Deputies arrived on scene and recognized his vehicle matched the description of the suspect vehicle in OSP’s pursuit earlier in the day. Deputies attempted to contact him and he took off in the vehicle while simultaneously striking an occupied CCSO patrol vehicle. Deputies engaged in a short pursuit and terminated it for safety reasons. No CCSO Deputies were injured.
At approximately 1:00pm Tualatin Police Officers were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance at Cabela’s, located at 7555 SW Nyberg Street. The caller reported a male with the similar clothing was running through the store acting erratic and yelling obscenities. Officers arrived on scene and recognized his vehicle matched the suspect vehicle involved in the two pursuits earlier in the day. The suspect fled the area at a high rate of speed and Tualatin Officers did not engage in a pursuit due to heavy foot traffic and public safety. The suspect vehicle crashed into a motorist (no injuries) and continued to flee on SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd towards Sherwood.
Dispatchers with Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency simultaneously received several 911 calls about a reckless driver in a white Mercedes on SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd heading towards Sherwood.
Sherwood Officers were flagged down on SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd near SW Century Dr by a male in a white Mercedes acting erratic. Officers immediately recognized the vehicle, attempted to conduct a high-risk traffic stop, and began giving him commands. The vehicle took off at a high rate of speed, drove erratically, and drove onto the sidewalk to pass stopped traffic.
Officers from multiple agencies attempted several deployments of spike strips throughout Sherwood and on SW Pacific Highway. The driver intentionally avoided several spike strips by turning around and driving on the wrong side of the highway at a high rate of speed and drove head on at several police vehicles.
Due to the dangerous nature of his driving and the danger to the public, officers shut down SW Pacific Highway near SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd to protect the public as he was driving southbound in the northbound lanes.
The vehicle observed another set of spikes, attempted to turn around, became high centered on SW Pacific Highway near SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd and was simultaneously boxed in.
The driver was taken into custody without incident and identified as Steven J. Denham, age 38, of Bothell, Washington.
Mr. Denham has an active felony warrant out of Washington for Harassing Communication and has cautions for threats to specifically harm law enforcement.
Mr. Denham faces the following charges from the following agencies:
Oregon State Police:
- ORS 811.540 Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (felony)
- ORS 811.140 Reckless Driving
- ORS 163.195 Reckless Endangering
- ORS 162.145 Escape in the Third Degree
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office:
- ORS 811.540 Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (felony)
- ORS 811.140 Reckless Driving
- ORS 163.195 Reckless Endangering
Tualatin Police Department:
- ORS 811.540 Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (felony)
- ORS 811.700 Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver
Sherwood Police Department:
- ORS 163.175 Attempted Assault in the First Degree (Five counts)
- ORS 163.208 Attempted Assault on a Public Safety Officer (Five counts)
- ORS 811.540 Attempting to Elude a Police Officer (Three counts)
- ORS 163.195 Reckless Endangering (Five counts)
- ORS 811.140 Reckless Driving (Four Counts)
- ORS 811.231 Reckless Endangerment of Highway Workers
- ORS 813.010 Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
- ORS 811.700 Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver
- ORS 164.345 Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree
