PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Police in Oregon caught a break Sunday morning when a man accused of stealing an SUV crashed into a separate, unrelated stolen car after a brief chase.
It didn’t take long for officers responding to a call of a stolen Toyota Land Cruiser driving through the downtown area of Newberg, home to nearly 24,000 people, to spot the vehicle.
When the suspect realized he’d been identified, police say he tried to elude them but eventually crashed the Land Cruiser into an occupied Buick Regal near the intersection of East Franklin Street and North College Street.
Officers arrested the driver, 27-year-old Randy Lee Cooper, and, in the process of the investigation, learned that the Buick Regal was also stolen in a completely unrelated crime reported about three weeks prior.
Police arrested the driver the Buick, 25-year-old Kristin Nicole Begue, who they said was found to be under the influence of intoxicants.
Cooper faces several charges including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude police, assault, reckless driving and other related crimes.
Officers arrested Begue for driving under the influence of intoxicants and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
No injuries were reported.