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@OCPolice
This morning, just after 10:20 am, Oregon City Police received multiple calls, about a man who was wearing a mask and armed with a knife, attempting to break into a residence near Boynton St and Tower Hill Dr. As officers were arriving, the suspect took off in a black Volkswagen GTI. As officers pursued, the suspect crashed into the yard of a residence at the intersection of Warner Parrott Rd. and Woodlawn Ave and ran from the vehicle. The Oregon City Service Learning Academy (OCSLA), located at 995 South End Rd., was placed in lockout as a safety precaution. A nearby resident saw the suspect hiding clothing on their property before taking off and provided us with an updated description. A couple minutes later, Gladstone Police Officers on containment, located the suspect walking from the parking lot of OCSLA. Gladstone PD officers were able to arrest the suspect without incident at King St. and South End Rd.
The suspect was identified as 35-year-old Richard Anthony Mercado. The residents of the house he was attempting to break into were known to him. The vehicle Mercado was driving was reported stolen from Vancouver, WA.
Mercado was lodged at the Clackamas County Jail on the following charges: ORS 163.225 - Attempted Burglary I, ORS 166.220 - Unlawful Use of a Weapon, ORS 811.540 - Attempt to Elude, ORS 575.894 – PCS-Methamphetamine, and ORS 163.190 – Menacing. Other charges are expected.
The Oregon City Police were assisted by the Canby Police Department, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gladstone Police Department.