February 11, 2020

Jason Leo Hanson will receive 120 month prison sentence after pleading guilty to attempted murder in the first degree

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 30-year-old Jason Leo Hanson changed his plea and will receive a 120 month prison sentence for shooting at law enforcement following a pursuit in a stolen vehicle.

On February 10, 2020, Hanson pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm. As stated in court documents, Hanson is expected to receive a 120 month prison sentence when he is formally sentenced on March 12, 2020.

“Mr. Hanson put our community at extreme risk during this incident,” said Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Davidson, who prosecuted this case. “We are incredibly lucky no one was injured as a result of Mr. Hanson’s incredibly dangerous driving as he fled law enforcement through several neighborhoods in a stolen vehicle and ultimately when he decided to pull out a firearm and start shooting toward law enforcement.”

This investigation started on October 18, 2018 when the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office located a stolen vehicle near Southeast 82nd Avenue and Southeast Johnson Creek Boulevard in Clackamas County, Oregon.

The owner of the vehicle had previously reported it as stolen on October 8, 2018 to Portland Police. 

A deputy assigned to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver, later identified as Hanson, sped off and refused to stop. After a pursuit that spanned Happy Valley and Portland, with speeds reaching approximately 60 miles per hour, Hanson ditched his vehicle on Southeast Gary Street and ran from the scene on foot into Portland city limits.

Deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office descended on the area and set up a containment zone around the neighborhood looking for Hanson. During the search, Clackamas County Sheriff Deputy Michael McLeland located Hanson in the 8500 block of Southeast 89th Avenue. Portland Police Officer Kameron Fender and CCSO Deputy Jonathan Campbell quickly arrived on scene and joined CCSO Deputy McLeland.

Hanson pulled out a Smith and Wesson .380 handgun and fired a single round in the proximity of CCSO Deputy McLeland, CCSO Deputy Campbell and PPB Officer Fender.

The bullet from Hanson’s firearm hit CCSO Deputy McLeland’s patrol vehicle.

CCSO Deputy Campbell and PPB Officer Fender returned fire toward Hanson, who was struck in the back and in the upper thigh. Law enforcement immediately provided Hanson first aid and paramedics transported him to the hospital.

At Monday’s change of plea hearing, PPB Officer Fender read an impact statement to the court which stated in part:

“I am honored and blessed to be able to serve the community that I was born in. I take pride in doing my job the right way: treating people with respect – the respect that they deserve and protecting vulnerable people from those that would do them harm. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be here today. That is because myself and two other deputies with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office came extremely close to having been murdered on October 18, 2018. I have been in the law enforcement profession for just shy of 15 years. Never in that time have I encountered a person who so brazenly and intentionally attempted to take my life and the lives of other officers.

Mr. Hanson's actions that day could have easily taken a father from his children and a husband from his wife all because he did not want to face the responsibilities for his own actions.

Mr. Hanson tried to kill police officers who were simply doing their jobs and trying to do the right thing. It is fortunate that this type of event happens very infrequently in our area. ...

...Although, thankfully, we were not physically harmed that night by Mr. Hanson, it has altered my life forever. The emotional impact and trauma from this incident I carry with me today. I think about it, literally, every day - about how easily I could have been shot; the panic of having to react in the blink of an eye to defend my own life and the lives of the other deputies. The significance of his actions should not be over looked by what turned out to be pure luck that our lives were spared.

I would expect the court to hold Mr. Hanson accountable for what he has done. I believe the egregious nature of trying to unlawfully kill another human is well deserving of a severe sentence. … I also emphasize that this was done because of my profession; because I was acting to preserve the quality of life for the citizens in our community. I hope that is never lost sight of.”

According to court documents, upon release, Hanson will be on 36 months of post-prison supervision. The court ordered that he pay $1,037.98 in restitution to V-1 Ace Car Reconditioning. Additional restitution may be determined within 90 days.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office recognizes Portland Police Bureau Detective Todd Gradwahl, the lead investigator, and the members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and the Portland Police Bureau for their dedicated efforts investigating this case.

#MCDA#