Stolen Car Driver Stopped Electronically in Washington County

by Annette Newell

A stolen car, was stopped in its tracks, preventing the need for a dangerous police chase in Washington County.

Washington County authorities got the call at around 10 A.M. Thursday, at Highway 47 and Highway 6 near Gaston. “It was a stolen car, it came out of Yamhill County. We got behind it,” said Washington County Sheriff’s Sergeant Danny DiPietro.

He says there was no need for a chase, they just shut the car down, electronically. “It wasn’t a chase, it was more of a find the car and then we caught up to it and then we said turn it off, and they turned it off, and the car obviously stopped, and then we took him into custody.

Forest Grove Police took the suspect in for questioning, after they were able to stop him thanks to technology aimed at preventing the hundreds of deaths from police chases each year.

Officer Matt Smith, with Forest Grove Police, says, “I’m pretty proud of the fact that our officers in coordination with the Sheriff’s Office were able to recover this car, undamaged, and return it to its owner.” The owner had reported it stolen Thursday morning in Forest Grove.