NE Portland street takeover leads to arrests, tows, gun

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A multi-agency response to a Northeast Portland street racing takeover led to a number of arrests late Saturday night, police said.

The takeover near Northeast 102nd and Glisan brought hundreds of people — most of them onlookers — to the site. Calls about reckless driving and speed racing brought a heavy police response to the area.

1 arrested, multiple vehicles seized in Swan Island street takeover: PPB

Portland police officers were aided by Gresham police and the Oregon State Police.

People who live in the neighborhood told KOIN 6 News they’re tired of the street racing.

“It’s been happening for long enough now that like there doesn’t seem to be a strategy for how to stop it,” Click said.

“It’s loud and it smells bad. And, you know, you get a bunch of strangers just clogging up your street and it won’t stop. And nobody seems to be able to do anything about it. And then it’s just irritating for all the people who are trying to get through the intersection and just every — it’s disrespectful to every person except for the people who are participating in it.”

Another nearby resident, Karin Wiklund, told KOIN 6 News this is the third street takeover in about six months.

“There was a lot of cars and they’re blocking traffic. There’s actually a bus at one point, it wasn’t able to go through the intersection,” she said.

On Friday night, another street takeover mission on Swan Island led to one arrest and multiple vehicles towed, PPB said.

Just before 8 p.m., Portland officers from North Precinct, the Traffic Division and the Air Support Unit went to the 6000 block of North Cutter Circle. They stopped numerous cars trying to flee the scene.

At least one person was arrested and police seized his Cadillac. At least a dozen cars were towed from that scene.

The investigations into both events are ongoing.

Early statistics released by investigators show 12 cars were towed, a gun was seized and at least six people arrested overall this weekend.

In a statement to KOIN 6 News. PPB Sgt. Kevin Allen said the Friday response was hampered by “limited precinct resources.” But the Saturday response was coordinated with the other agencies “to address a series of takeover events planned by street racing groups” at the same time a stolen vehicle operation was underway in East Precinct.

An Oregon law signed by Gov. Tina Kotek in 2023 allows those convicted of street racing could face up to a year in prison, a fine of $6250 or both.

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