Gilliam County, Oregon – A Portland man died after a high-speed Interstate 84 pursuit Friday evening ended near Blalock Canyon, prompting a death investigation.
According to the Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began Friday at approximately 7:47 p.m. when a Sherman County deputy attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a violation on Interstate 84 near milepost 104 in Biggs Junction.
Authorities said the driver allegedly failed to stop, initiating a pursuit as the vehicle traveled eastbound on I-84 at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour while driving erratically.
A Gilliam County deputy responded near milepost 123 in Philippi Canyon and attempted to deploy stop sticks to disable the fleeing vehicle. Officials said the suspect vehicle avoided the stop sticks and continued eastbound.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle exited the interstate at Exit 129 near Blalock Canyon and traveled down a paved section of an unmaintained road, where multiple assisting law enforcement units moved in to surround and contain the vehicle.
According to authorities, officers issued repeated verbal commands for the driver to exit the vehicle, but those commands were unsuccessful.
Before officers could safely approach the vehicle with protective equipment, the driver sustained an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
The individual was pronounced dead at the scene and was later identified as Devon Brown, 30, of Portland, Oregon.
No law enforcement officers or members of the public were injured during the incident.
Officials said the case remains an active investigation, and media inquiries are being handled by the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigative agency.
The incident drew response from several agencies, including the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, North Gilliam Medic Ambulance, Frontier Regional 911, and other assisting units.
Late-evening incidents along I-84 can affect long-distance freight drivers and overnight commuters traveling through the Columbia River Gorge corridor.
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