A man in Portland, Oregon, is facing multiple charges after he allegedly stole an oil tanker. Then, he is accused of ramming multiple vehicles, including several patrol cars.
According to a news release issued by the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the incident occurred on Monday, June 1, 2026. At around 7:20 a.m., PPB officers learned of a vehicle theft near Southeast 9th Avenue and Southeast Ankeny Street.
A man, later identified as 34-year-old Tyler J. Turner, had stolen an oil tank truck, the PPB said. Officers, then, used a tracking device installed in the oil tanker to locate it.
The PPB pinpointed the tanker’s location shortly after. It was near Southeast 62nd Avenue and Southeast Tomal Street. However, upon arrival, Turner allegedly fled, triggering a pursuit.
Chase Starts, Multiple Collisions
PPB officers began chasing Turner and the tanker. At one point during the pursuit, the driver allegedly rammed into various civilian vehicles.
Additionally, some PPB vehicles were also damaged following other ramming instances. Fortunately, no civilian or law enforcement agent was injured during the pursuit.
Eventually, PPB officers boxed in the oil tanker near Northeast 31st Avenue and Northeast Emerson Street. Turner didn’t stop there, however, as he allegedly exited the truck and fled on foot.
Suspect Arrested and Charged
The fleeing attempt didn’t last long. As per the police, Turner was taken into custody only one block away.
As per KGW, Turner was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He is charged with second-degree burglary, three counts of first-degree criminal mischief, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.
If convicted of the burglary charge, Turner could spend up to 5 years in prison. The same penalty applies to each count of his first-degree criminal mischief charges.
Reactions
Several witnesses talked to KGW about the incident, with one of them saying that they heard “a truck with a broken axle” before seeing the vehicle run into a line of cars. One of them, Jake House, had his vehicles hit during the pursuit, including his 4Runner. He called it, “Just a Monday in Portland.”
Meanwhile, PPB Chief Bob Day provided a short statement in the bureau’s release. He highlighted the dangers that stolen vehicles posed in Portland, and also praised his officers’ response.
“This incident highlights the danger that stolen vehicles can pose to our community,” Chief Day said. “I’m grateful that no community members or officers were seriously injured and proud of the coordination and professionalism demonstrated by our officers as they worked to safely bring this dangerous situation to an end.”