Portland Police Street Racing Detail Results In 2 Arrests, Towed Cars

PORTLAND, OR — In the span of just a few hours Friday evening on North Marine Drive, a dozen Portland police officers undertook a detail to cut down on illegal street racing, according to the Portland Police Bureau.

The dozen officers arrested two people, towed two cars, made 27 traffic stops and wrote 18 tickets, police said. They also seized a loaded semiautomatic handgun, police said.

The police did not release any details about the people who were arrested, the situation that led to the towing of the cars or the weapon seizure.

The street racing details will be a regular occurrence as the weather warms up, police said.

"They typically will not be pre announced, so participants are warned that they are risking arrest, towed vehicles, and traffic tickets if they take part in illegal street racing, sliding, or takeovers," the bureau said in a statement.

The mission Friday followed an incident last month when four people — including an 18-year-old woman and two boys — were shot while watching a street racing event.

Adrian Dangelo Ramirez of Portland was arrested and was being held in lieu of more than $500,000 bail after being charged with seven counts, including two counts of attempted murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful use of a weapon.

In the past year, street racing events on stretches of North Marine Drive have become more frequent, according to police. The events attract people from all over the tri-county region, as well as from southwest Washington.