News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Sheriff's Office arrests California felon after chase, crash near Gladstone

Posted: Aug. 24, 2009 9:53 a.m.

Photos:

• Cipriano Emiliano Saldana
• Damage to fence

On Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, at about 7:41 p.m., a Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputy in a marked patrol vehicle attempted a traffic stop on a California-registered vehicle for a traffic violation on Silver Spring Road and SE McLoughlin Blvd. near Milwaukie. The male operator, with no passengers, had been observed committing a traffic violation in the area of Silver Springs Road.

This alleged traffic violator failed to yield to the deputy's orders to stop, immediately fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed.

This offending driver fled eastbound on Silver Springs Road, which is a dead-end street. The silver-colored Infiniti with California plates went to the end of the street and attempted to turn around. The deputy was able to block the street close to the offender. The driver immediately drove over the curb and through a wooden fence -- striking a vehicle parked in the Oatfield Garden apartment complex located nearby.

This driver continued to elude deputies at high rates of speed through the Oak Grove area, and at times was moving into oncoming traffic on the roadway and went through stop-sign intersections without stopping.

The driver finally crashed his vehicle on SE River Road and SE Meldrum in the Jennings Lodge area. The driver then fled the scene on foot, with deputies close behind him.

The crashed vehicle caught fire after striking a utility pole. Deputies were able to use fire extinguishers from their patrol vehicles to put out the flames from the vehicle fire.

The driver continued to flee the scene on foot, and went into the window of a nearby relative's house. The driver exited the house and jumped over a fence, and was finally taken into custody without further incident or injuries to either the driver or law-enforcement personnel involved in the vehicle and foot pursuit.

This driver was identified by his tattoos by deputies and a California detective as CIPRIANO EMILIANO SALDANA, age 29, with a residential address in the Jennings Lodge area near Gladstone, Oregon. CIPRIANO SALDANA had a felony Parole Abscond warrant of the California Department of Corrections, issued on Aug. 5, 2009.

CIPRIANO SALDANA was also charged with the following Clackamas County charges and lodged in the Clackamas County Jail:

• Attempt Elude a Police Officer (2 counts)
• Hit and Run Vehicle-Property
• Reckless Driving

• Providing False Information to Police
• Possession of Marijuana (less than an ounce)

• Canby Police Department and their K9 Unit
• Gladstone Police Department
• Oregon State Police