News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Three in custody after alleged Costco theft leads to car chase

Posted: Feb. 18, 2009, 4:47 p.m.

Video: Car-chase aftermath (Windows Media format)

On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009 at 1:25 p.m., Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol Sergeant Scott Anderson was patrolling on SE 84th Avenue when he witnessed a Costco employee in foot pursuit of a male subject fleeing westbound from the store.

Sergeant Anderson saw this fleeing subject enter a vehicle occupied by two additional occupants. The vehicle then fled the scene.

Sergeant Anderson activated his emergency lights in an effort to stop the fleeing vehicle, described as a gray 2006 Kia four-door sedan. The driver of the suspect vehicle chose to ignore the Sheriff's commands -- kicking off a pursuit that continued westbound from the area.

The pursuit continued from SE 84th, southbound onto I-205 -- moving west at the Hwy. 212-224 exit onto SE Webster Road northbound.

Spike strips were deployed by additional Sheriff's Patrol personnel in an effort to disable the fleeing suspect vehicle at SE Webster Road and Lake Road. The suspect driver attempted to evade the spike strip -- making an abrupt evasive maneuver around the spike strip and striking the left rear quarter panel of a civilian vehicle proceeding through the intersection. The civilian vehicle struck by the fleeing suspects is described as a white 2002 Mercury Sable driven by Dorothy Wilsey, 78, of Milwaukie. Ms. Wilsey was shaken but not visibly injured as a result of this collision.

The fleeing 2006 Kia continued north on SE Webster and into the intersection of Hwy. 224 (Milwaukie Expressway). Sgt. Anderson seized the opportunity to then apply a PIT (Pursuit Intervention Technique) maneuver to help bring this pursuit to an immediate end. The PIT maneuver is a method by which one car pursuing another can force the pursued vehicle to abruptly turn sideways into the direction of travel -- causing the driver to lose control and stop.

Sgt. Anderson applied the PIT maneuver, The suspect vehicle initially stopped -- and then attempted to continue west on Hwy. 224 from the Webster Road intersection. Sgt. Anderson once again applied a PIT maneuver -- which finally brought the suspect vehicle to a complete stop on the south shoulder of the roadway on Hwy. 224.

The total elapsed time of the pursuit was approximately 5 minutes. (Video of the pursuit aftermath is linked above.)

Immediately after the suspect vehicle stopped, a male subject situated in the right rear of the car fled on foot into the parking lot of the neighboring Alder Creek Middle School. A fleet-footed Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy chased the suspect and apprehended him in the school parking lot. This suspect has been identified as BJ Beaty, 26, of Marion County. Beaty was found to be on post-prison supervision for a Parole Violation for Dangerous Drugs.

The suspect driver is identified as Angela Marie Lopez, 38, with a Kaiser residential address. Lopez was found to be in operation of this vehicle with a suspended Oregon Driver's License. She is also on post-prison supervision for Criminal Mistreatment.

The remaining occupant in this suspect vehicle is identified as Michael Daniel Reyes, 18, of Salem. Reyes was also discovered to be a fugitive, wanted in Marion County for a probation violation for Property Crimes.

After conferring with Costco store security, the suspect vehicle was discovered to contain a large quantity of valuable suspected stolen Costco merchandise. A computer and electronic cameras valued at $1,700 were located inside this vehicle and retained as evidence.

Deputies report that the suspects are believed to have affixed "switched plates" onto the suspect Kia, in an effort to avoid being identified if spotted by store security.

The suspects were retained in custody, transported to Clackamas County Jail and lodged on the above-mentioned charges, as well as:


The Sheriff's Office appreciates the assistance in this successful arrest effort -- provided by personnel representing the Oregon State Police, Sandy Police, Gladstone Police and Oregon City Police.

No jailhouse mug-shot images were available at this writing while the suspects are being processed.

[END]

Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office