By FOX 12 Staff
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PORTLAND Oregon (KPTV) — A 42-year-old Portland man was arrested Saturday after he drove a pickup truck through the Portland Grand Floral Parade route, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Police are hoping to hear from people who were directly in danger from the suspect’s driving, they said.
At about 10 a.m., a motorcycle officer directing traffic for the parade responded to a man driving a truck on streets closed for the parade, police said.
According to police, the officer saw “parade goers running out of the street and heard them screaming, trying to get his attention.” Then, the officer saw the truck driving east on Northeast Weidler Street and he attempted to stop the truck.
The pickup truck driver ignored the flashing lights and siren on the police motorbike and turned south on Northeast MLK Jr. Boulevard.
The officer pulled alongside of the truck and told the driver to pull over, but he still refused, police said.
Then the officer drove ahead of the truck to warn pedestrians until the officer feared being hit by the truck and got out of the way.
The officer then again tried to get in front of the truck to stop or slow it down, but the driver turned suddenly left onto Northeast Wasco Street and drove directly at families sitting on the curb, waiting for the parade, according to police.
“The officer witnessed several people in danger of being struck by the vehicle as it left NE MLK JR. Blvd,” police said.
As the officer continued chasing the truck, the driver smashed through a barricade and nearly hit parade volunteers.
Police said the driver, having finally left the parade route, continued to flee from police.
A Portland Police air unit took over the chase.
Eventually, the truck stopped near the intersection of Northeast 24th Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street, where the driver was taken into custody.
Police said they later learned the driver, identified as Sidney Sean Mecham, had entered the parade route from a Northbound Interstate 5 off-ramp. He drove around two Oregon Department of Transportation trucks that were being used to close the ramp on to Northeast Weidler Street.
Police said Mecham had to drive his truck up into ivy on the hillside above of the ramp to make it around the trucks. Mecham was booked at the Multnomah County Detention Center and charged with recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct, eluding police and reckless driving. He also faces charges for a previous hit-and-run, police said.
He was also cited for driving with a suspended license, failure to obey a police officer and driving without insurance, for which the pickup truck was also towed.
Anyone who believes they have information about this incident and has not yet spoke to police is asked to contact Officer David Baer at [email protected] and reference case number 23-152688.
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