Portland, OR – Two people were found dead and another is presumed dead after a vehicle fleeing Portland police plunged into the Willamette River early Monday morning near Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the crash happened around 2 a.m. Monday when an officer attempted to stop a car that was reportedly speeding the wrong way through downtown streets. Police said the driver did not stop and instead accelerated away from officers.
Investigators said the vehicle traveled along Southwest Harvey Milk Street before merging onto Southwest Naito Parkway. The car then drove across the grass at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, crashed through a guardrail and went over the seawall into the Willamette River.
Officers arriving at the scene found a damaged fence along the waterfront and one person swimming in the river. The survivor told officers that three other people were still inside the vehicle, Assistant Chief Brian Hughes said during a news conference Monday.
Divers with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office later recovered two bodies from the river after locating the submerged vehicle.
Authorities believe four people were inside the car at the time of the crash. The remaining occupant has not yet been recovered and is presumed dead, according to investigators.
In an update shared by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, marine and dive teams used sonar technology during search operations Monday and Tuesday to help locate the sunken car in roughly 35 feet of cold water with little to no visibility.
Officials said specialized river patrol teams are continuing efforts to locate the final missing occupant.
The survivor, described as a young man, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and is cooperating with investigators. Police believe those involved were between 17 and 20 years old, though their identities have not yet been released.
Authorities say the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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