On December 3, 2011 at 4:05 AM Officer Joe Symonds attempted to stop a 2000 Nissan Sentra. The vehicle had been observed by Officer Symonds slowing at each intersection then rolling through a stop sign at 11th and Exchange. Officer Symonds's suspected the driver was impaired and had committed a traffic violation. He attempted to initiate a traffic stop on 11th and Exchange. 

Rather than stopping when Officer Symonds turned on his emergency lights the vehicle turned onto Franklin and accelerated. The driver turned off his lights and sped down Franklin to 18th, turned north onto 18th, traveling to Marine Drive turned east on Marine Drive, traveled to Exchange, turning west on Exchange and traveling to 14th, turned north on 14th, turned east onto Duane, turning north on 16th, turning east onto Marine turning south onto 17th, turning east on Exchange,  circling the office building at 18th and Exchange using the parking lot and returning west onto Exchange. The driver then traveled to 17th turning north on 17th and then east on Duane. The driver then left the roadway near the location of the Bowpicker and traveling over a small embankment into the parking lot. The driver appeared to have lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the retaining wall on the NW corner of that parking lot. The driver fled and was arrested in the side yard of the Heritage Museum located at 16th and Duane. The Passenger fled the vehicle and was located hiding under the sidewalk in the chairwall near the area. Both driver and passenger were examined on the scene by Medix. The Passenger was transported by Medix and the driver refused treatment. When being booked at the Clatsop County Jail, the driver began complaining about back pain. He was transported by officers to CMH where he was treated and released. 

A check indicated that the car was stolen and that the driver, Joshua Kelley Hayes, age 33, address unknown, was wanted by the State Parole Board. Because of staffing issues in Columbia County the vehicle could not immediately be confirmed as being stolen. However, officers located the owner of the vehicle and confirmed that it had been stolen. A search of the vehicle turned up user amounts of methamphetamine and stolen property.

During the pursuit Hayes drove the vehicle through stop signs at speed, entered roadways traveling the wrong direction and while on Marine Drive reached speeds of 70 MPH. Fortunately because of the time of morning there were few other cars on the road. 

The driver was arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, Felony Elude, Possession of a Controlled Substance - Methamphetamine, Misdemeanor Elude, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, Possession of Stolen Property, Criminal Trespass II, Unauthorized Entry Into a Motor Vehicle, and Driving While Suspended. He was also lodged on a Felony Warrant from the State Parole Board.

The passenger, Dana Dawn Larsen, age 26 of Scappoose, was transported to CMH by Medix then released. She was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Misdemeanor Attempt to Elude, and Unlawful Entry Into a Motor Vehicle

As with all pursuits, the Astoria Police Department will review the pursuit to insure that it was in keeping with all internal policies. 

Astoria Police can also be found at www.facebook.com/AstoriaPolice and on Twitter @AstoriaPD

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