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@WCSOOregon
On Thursday, May 9, 2024, at approximately 05:00 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office detective stopped a vehicle for traffic violations and recognized signs of impairment from the minor driver.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, a Washington County Sheriff’s Office detective drove to work through the City of Cornelius and stopped for a red light Eastbound on Baseline Street.
The detective saw a blue Dodge Caravan approaching and witnessed several traffic violations, including driving the wrong way on Baseline Street near North 20th Avenue.
After calling for a cover unit, the detective stopped the vehicle for the violations. During the encounter, the detective noticed signs of impairment coming from the driver and other occupants in the vehicle. It was also discovered all the occupants were underage.
The driver,17, was arrested for DUII while the other four occupants were issued citations for minor in possession. The driver was later released into the care of a responsible party.
The Sheriff’s Office takes driving while under the influence of intoxicants seriously and is relieved nobody was injured. The Sheriff’s Office encourages you to call 911 if you witness dangerous driving.
On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 6:11 a.m., deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a death investigation near the 20400 block of SW Rachelle Court in Aloha.
Investigators learned a 53-year-old man was deceased at the location, having suffered trauma to the head. The victim, Chad Thibodeaux of Olympia, Washington, was known to the suspect, who fled the location shortly after. Witnesses provided a description of the suspect that was sent to responding patrol deputies.
A deputy patrolling near the intersection of SW 185th Avenue and SW Tualatin Valley Highway located the suspect, 24-year-old Austin Chan. At 6:58 a.m. Chan was safely taken into custody.
Chan was transported to the Washington County Jail and booked on the charge of murder in the second degree. Additional charges may follow.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional details will not be released at this time.
On May 1, 2024, a deputy serving the City of North Plains took a report of a theft of construction equipment that occurred near NW Commercial St and NW 311th Ave. The owner of a construction company reported the equipment was valued at over $10,000. Deputies obtained video footage of the suspect and his truck.
Footage of the suspect was shared by the business owner online, and a community member provided a tip to law enforcement, identifying the suspect as 40-year-old Shaun Billman of Forest Grove. On the evening of May 2, 2024, sheriff’s office deputies went to Billman’s home. When deputies arrived, they found Billman outside, near his truck and the stolen equipment.
Deputies arrested Billman and transported him to the Washington County Jail, where he was charged with aggravated theft in the first degree.
The equipment was returned to the rightful owner.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the community for their assistance in the investigation.
May 5, 2024
On Sunday, May 5, 2024, at 2:41 a.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to pull over a 2011 BMW X5 near Highway 217 and SW Walker Road. The driver of the vehicle initially pulled over but immediately sped away and the deputy did not pursue. The suspect was seen by deputies getting onto Sunset Highway before getting back onto Highway 217 southbound.
Deputies followed the vehicle and performed a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) on the BMW near SW 2nd Avenue and SW Franklin Avenue in Beaverton. After the PIT, the driver jumped out of the BMW and ran. Deputies ran after the driver, 25-year-old Nicolas Pena-Galvan and took him into custody about a block away. During the investigation, deputies found that Pena-Galvan dropped a pistol while running away and later learned the gun was listed as stolen.
Pena-Galvan was transported to the Washington County Jail, where he faces the following charges:
- Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer (felony, 2 counts)
- Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer (misdemeanor)
- Felon in possession of a weapon
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Theft in the first degree
- Criminal mischief in the second degree
- Driving under the influence of intoxicants
- Reckless driving
The investigation is ongoing, and it is possible that Pena-Galvan will faces additional charges.
On Sunday April 28, 2024, at 5:33 p.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a crash at N. Adair St. and N. 10th Ave. in Cornelius. A woman driving a white 2007 Dodge Charger hit a maroon 1997 Ford F150 and fled the scene. She was later identified as 39-year-old Lisa L. Sullivan of Cornelius. Two deputies were on scene almost immediately. One of them helped the driver of the Ford, who had minor injuries and was later taken to a hospital by a family member. He was the only person in the Ford.
The other deputy started looking for the Dodge, as witnesses saw the car leave the scene at a high rate of speed going north out of Cornelius. Multiple other 911 calls started coming in, reporting the car passing recklessly at high speeds and driving on one rim.
Around 5:40 p.m., the deputy started to catch up to the Dodge when he came across a second crash. Ms. Sullivan hit a 2016 Mercedes sedan at Highway 47 and NW Verboort Rd. and also fled that scene. The woman driving the Mercedes also had minor injuries and got a private ride to a hospital. She was also the only person in the Mercedes.
While the deputy checked on that driver, a Forest Grove sergeant saw the Dodge and tried to pull it over. Ms. Sullivan refused to stop and police pursued her at speeds of about 80 miles per hour as she drove out of Forest Grove on Highway 8.
A Sheriff’s Office deputy joined the pursuit and was able to use a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver to bring the chase to a safe stop at 5:49 p.m. Ms. Sullivan’s Dodge went off the side of Highway 8 near NW Stringtown Rd. and dropped over an embankment about 25 feet into a farm field. She refused commands to get out of her car, and when she finally did, she tried to leave on foot and deputies tackled her in the field and arrested her at 5:56 p.m.
Ms. Sullivan was taken to a hospital to be checked for minor injuries. She will be lodged into jail for the following charges:
- Two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude police officer, one felony count for failing to stop her car during the pursuit and one misdemeanor count for trying to flee on foot
- Two counts of felony failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons (hit and run causing injury), one for each crash she caused
- One count each of reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person, for the danger to the public caused by her actions
The Sheriff’s Office wants to thank the Forest Grove Police Department for helping find Ms. Sullivan and safely taking her into custody before anyone else was hurt.