Railroad trestle catches fire in oak grove - 8/20/24
Here's a photo of the fire blackened trestle that had caught fire.
Here's a photo of the fire blackened trestle that had caught fire.
In the wee hours of the morning this past Tuesday, August 20, 2024, the wooden trestle bridge that ramps onto the railroad bridge over the Willamette River, connecting Lake Oswego to Oak Grove, caught fire.
Clackamas Fire Department responded to this hot fire that threatens some nearby homes. The section that catches fire is not too far east of River Villa Park.
Cause of the fire is still not determined as of tonight Thursday 8/22/23 - per a Clackamas Fire Department representative.
Here's the Facebook posting showing the fire as it burned on Tuesday before being put out by Clackamas Fire:
(posted by Elvis Clark on August 22, 2024)
Here's a photo of the fire blackened trestle that had caught fire.
Here's a photo of the fire blackened trestle that had caught fire.
Here's a photo of the fire blackened trestle that had caught fire.
The Railroad bridge that connects the railroad between Lake Oswego and Oak Grove is often discussed as being the place for erecting a bicycle-ped bridge over the Willamette to connect Lake Oswego and Oak Grove.
I have not been too excited at this point for this bicycle-ped bridge because I think it is of lower priority to upgrading the walking and bicycling infrastructure along McLoughlin Blvd in Oak Grove.
At this point, I think this proposed bicycle-ped bridge would mostly serve the Lycra bicycle crowd - who use bicycles for recreation and not so much commuting and shopping.
Happy Valley woman gets 10 years for shooting police officer
A Happy Valley woman with a warrant for arrest tricks and shoots a Gladstone Police Officer
Two Gladstone Police Officers arrested a wanted Happy Valley woman (wanted for crimes she may have committed in the state of Texas). The Happy Valley woman then talks the two police officers into taking her to her home so that she supposedly can secure the care of two of her dogs before being processed by the police department.
But while the officers are helping her at her home to leash up her two dogs, the Happy Valley woman grabs a gun from her nightstand and shoots one of the Officers in the leg.
Well, the Happy Valley woman has now been sentenced to ten years in jail for shooting the police officer.
Here's the link to KPTV's reporting on this incident and the woman's subsequent sentencing:
Woman sentenced to 10 years for shooting Gladstone police sergeant in Nov. 2021 (kptv.com)
But I ask you is not there something askew with our justice system even here in Clackamas County?
How is it that a Proud Boy member recently is sentenced to 17 plus years for skirmishing with an Antifa member and causing only minor injuries (without guns involved) at a park in Clackamas County, while this Happy Valley (Clackamas County) woman now gets 7 fewer years for actually shooting a Police Officer? The Proud Boy sentencing seems like political piling on by our justice system.
(posted by Elvis Clark on September 29, 2023)
house Fire guts house on Harrison & about 29th ave
House was packed to the gills - a hoarding like situation, Clackamas Review reports
The fire occurred in the wee hours of July 16, 2023. Clackamas Fire District is seeking witnesses to the fire at this house. Here's how Clackamas Review reports this story:
"Clackamas Fire and Milwaukie Police investigators are asking for the public's help in finding witnesses to a July 16 fire where a woman had been hoarding items in her home.
At approximately 2:55 a.m., a 911 call reported the residential fire on Harrison Street. Officers arrived and discovered a house was becoming consumed with fire and multiple tall trees were beginning to burn.
As Clackamas Fire crews arrived, officers saw the adjacent residence had also caught fire. Police entered the residence to evacuate the occupants. All people and animals in the affected homes made it out safely, and no injuries were reported."
(posted by Elvis Clark on July 20, 2023)
DOWNTOWN Milwaukie gets criminal drama Month of May
Clackamas Deputy Sheriffs end police chase, Milwaukie police lay spikes, car crashes/burns Downtown
The Driver of the stolen car continues driving after the tires get blown out by the spikes, then escapes police, but word is the driver is subsequently arrested after showing up at a local hospital for the injuries he sustained while crashing the car. Here's KPTV news reporting link for this story:
https://www.kptv.com/2023/05/27/suspect-wanted-after-police-chase-ends-with-fiery-crash-milwaukie/
(posted by Elvis Clark on June 30, 2023)
Milwaukie Police chase down 16 year old in stolen car
The 16 year old first evades police chase, abandons the car he drives, but then caught running away
The 16 year old first evades police chase, abandons the car he drives, but then caught running away
The 16 year old first evades police chase, abandons the car he drives, but then caught running away
Here's how KPTV news reports this Milwaukie incident:
MILWAUKIE Ore. (KPTV) – A 16-year-old is in police custody after attempting to flee Milwaukie police in a stolen car Thursday, officials say.
According to the Milwaukie Police Department, a patrol sergeant noticed a suspicious car heading north on SE Linwood Avenue near SE Aspen Street around 12:50 p.m.
The officer began a traffic stop once the driver pulled into a dead-end street. However, the driver turned the car around and fled, striking the patrol vehicle while fleeing.
Witnesses nearby were able to point the sergeant to the 10500 block of SE Linwood Avenue where the car was found abandoned and the suspect was seen running from the scene. Arriving officers were able to intercept the suspect, an unidentified 16-year-old, near 6100 SE King Road.
The 16 year old first evades police chase, abandons the car he drives, but then caught running away
The 16 year old first evades police chase, abandons the car he drives, but then caught running away
According to the Milwaukie P.D., a loaded 9mm handgun was found inside the car and the vehicle was found to be reported as stolen.
The 16-year-old was taken to the Clackamas County Juvenile Reception Center and will face charges of Unauthorized use of a Vehicle, Attempt to Elude a Police Officer and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
___ end of this news report___
Other Milwaukie Police notes: Fire Works are banned within the City of Milwaukie, and Milwaukie Police will be out in force to issue warnings for those doing fireworks this Fourth of July 2023. Next Year there will be fines for doing fireworks within the City. Generally speaking, that is.
Milwaukie's new Police Captain notes that there have been several police officer injuries lately because of a spike in violent behavior by suspects during arrest phase.
(posted by Elvis Clark on June 23, 2023)
Milwaukie Police Officers praised for talking man off ledge
To the Right here are the Milwaukie Officers who talk a hallucinating man down from apartment ledge
Milwaukie's recently hired Behavioral Health Specialist (Glen Suchanek) also joins in talking the disturbed, self destructive man down from the ledge. The three Milwaukie Police Officers and Suchanek, not pictured to the right, come up with the idea of a ladder; and this ladder permits the mentally disturbed man, who inflicted wounds on himself while on ledge, to come down the ladder. This man is then taken by police to Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital for treatment.
Here's Clackamas review Newspaper's reporting on this praise worthy Milwaukie Police experience:
(posted by Elvis Clark on June 8, 2023)
Milwaukie Police officer fired for Sexual misconduct
Meanwhile, looks like a car driver loses control and runs into Mike's Restaurant front side
Well, even Milwaukie's finest are susceptible to their hormonal drives, on rare occasion. We find out this past week that Milwaukie Police officer, David McVeigh, was fired last year from the Milwaukie Police Department and subsequently charged by the Clackamas District Attorney for sexual contact while on duty as a police officer. Here's the Oregon City Newspaper report on this case of sexual misconduct by a now former Milwaukie police officer:
I look at the photo of former police officer David McVeigh on the internet, and he seems like a rather wholesome person just from his department photos - so, probably those male hormones got the best of him, even if just momentarily. But who knows.
As for Mike's Restaurant at the corner of Harrison and Highway 224, it has been closed for a couple of days now as restoration is done to the front side of its building (where orders are taken from those walking up to its order window). Word is on the street that it is another case where a driver couldn't handle Mike's large parking lot and accidentally drove their car right into Mike's restaurant front side. Word is this isn't the first time this happens.
(posted by Elvis Clark on May 19, 2023)
Milwaukie(Or) Police help solve apparent homicide in Arizona
An Informant tells Milwaukie Police about an associate boasting of his killing his girl friend.
Here's Clackamas Review's reporting on this Milwaukie Police interstate criminal case:
“Someone [turns out to be Benjamin Mota] has been bragging about committing a murder.”
[Milwaukie Police Chief] Strait said that he considered the information credible, although it represented a second-hand conversation between two convicted criminals.
Milwaukie police coordinated with police in Portland to arrest Mota for failing to show up for a court hearing on an unrelated charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants. Meanwhile, using the informant's story, Milwaukie detectives successfully wrote a request for a judge to issue a warrant to search the victim's cell phone records and her car where they found forensic evidence of her death.
Triangulating the likely location of Wheeler’s last known location using cell phone data still left a 15-mile swath of Arizona desert where she might have been located. Working with Milwaukie police, Arizona’s Coconino County Sheriff’s Office detectives were able to ascertain a possible location where the couple might have been camping [photo of this campsite to the right here], near Forest Service Road 776 and more than 10 miles north of Flagstaff.
Deputies responding to the area began handing out flyers of Mota and Wheeler to campers. From the flyer, a camper recognized Wheeler and identified a location where the couple were last seen camping. In investigating the location, Wheeler was found deceased, resulting in a homicide charge against Mota and his extradition from Oregon to Arizona for trial.
(posted by Elvis Clark on April 22, 2023)
Second Reported case of gun shootings -Milwaukie, this march
The above reported case occurred on 32nd. Earlier this March, there is a shooting nearby
Milwaukie Police are still investigating the two March cases of shooting with fired shots at people (attempted murder are the charges). The first shooting case involved a seeming dispute between young men down on 29th. The latest shooting on 32nd (above) may have been more a family dispute.
Does population infill (Density) bring more violent crime? If so, our sleepy bedroom community of Milwaukie may lose its charm with the infill mandates. Let's hope not. We still have a great Police Department, I do believe.
(posted by Elvis Clark on March 25, 2023)
Mail carrier shot on Christmas Eve - suspect in custody
Saturday 12/24/22 - a mail carrier in Milwaukie's Ardenwald neighborhood is shot in the leg randomly
Here's the link to this story as reported by the Oregonian newspaper:
The gun shot wound is said to be not life threatening and seems to be a random act of violence on the part of the shooter.
A suspect is apprehended several days later and questioned.
(posted by Elvis Clark on December 30, 2022)
Police shoot-kill "suspect" person at wood and RailRoad Ave.
Derrick Clark is shot and killed, as he refuses to drop his gun after stopped for possible DUI
Here's the link to OPB's reporting on this tragic life ending incident in which Clackamas Sheriff and Oregon state police deputies are threatened it appears by a suspect brandishing a gun:
(posted by Elvis Clark on June 25, 2022)
Triple Car Jacking Clackamas Town Center to Milwaukie-3/1/22
One person shot and three others assaulted by a guy who robbed some items from Macys
Here's the link to the Clackamas Sheriff report on this car stealing, violent rampage starting at Clackamas Town Center Parking Lot and ending on Harmony Road in Milwaukie:
First this suspect, Gary Lamar Johnson, fires a gun near a man in a car at the Clackamas Town Center and then overtakes the man and takes off with his car. Next, Johnson ditches this car on HWY 224 and over takes another man and takes his car and drives away. Finally, Johnson tries to ditch this second car at a public storage place on Harmony Road, and assaults and fires his gun at a woman - trying to take her car. But another woman attempts to help the woman who Johnson is struggling with, and so Johnson takes off on foot. Clackamas Sheriff and Milwaukie Police track Johnson down, shortly thereafter. And now Johnson is in jail with these charges:
- ORS.164.415 - Robbery I
- ORS.166.220 - Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- ORS.163.115 - Attempted Murder (2nd Degree)
- ORS.163.185 - Assault I
Bail was set at $510,000.
I hear the woman who sustained serious injuries is now expected to recover.
This is only one example of the crime surge the Portland Metro area is experiencing in recent years.
I think it is time we all get back to using the old mantra: "If you do the crime, you do the time." Time to lock them up instead of letting them out.
(posted by Elvis Clark on March 25, 2022)
Milwaukie Police traffic stop finds murder weapon evidence
Natasha Tate pleads guilty to homicide with gun, sentenced to life (eligible for parole in 25 years)
Interestingly, the murder weapon is found in a vehicle driven by Natasha Tate (photo to left here) when Milwaukie Police Officer Sanchez stops Tate for a traffic violation (I gather from Milwaukie Captain Robbie Graves' reporting to the Ardenwald Neighborhood Association this last Monday evening).
This seizure of this gun from tate by Milwaukie police occured in March 2021. Interestingly, since this seizure of a murder weapon for evidence in a court trial, a Federal Court I hear in another case unrelated, now requires the police officer to obtain a search warrant before looking into a car (I believe this is how the court case is being interpreted).
Here's a link to the Clackamas Sheriff report of the homicide:
https://www.clackamas.us/sheriff/2021-03-08-CCSOPR-HomicideInvestigation.html
(posted by Elvis Clark on January 26, 2022)
On September 16, 2021, a fatal vehicle crash occurs as reported below here. The crash comes when Clackamas Deputies pursue a suspected thief
As a result of this Bell and Johnson Creek fatal crash (9/16/21), Clackamas Sheriff changes the department's pursuit policy to not pursuing unless the suspect is driving in such manner as to risk the safety of others on the road.
To the right here is from this week's Clackamas Review about the suspect who caused the fatal crash. He flees the scene after crashing his vehicle; but is now in custody.
A Car Thief runs the intersection at Johnson Creek and Bell Avenue in Milwaukie, hitting two cars and injuring 2 persons in these cars -occurs 9/16/21
Koin News reported on this hit and run event. It sounds like it might have been one of those cases where the police take pursuit of a stolen car and its driver - only to cause a crash in the process. I am just speculating on this though, and so I'll ask Milwaukie police representative when Milwaukie's Public Safety Committee meets this next Thursday.
Koin reports the thief ran from the crash scen
Raymond Rendleman, Clackamas Review newspaper, reports Collin Williams - A county surveyor - is charged with vandalizing a Black man's memorial
Photo to the right here is said to be of Collin Williams who is charged with the hate crime of vandalizing a memorial to Jamelle Madison - a Black man who died in Clackamas County jail after attempting suicide.
Mr. Williams is charged with painting a NAZI swastika next to Mr. Madison's memorial among other things.
I worry that in the curr
Clackamas Review: 42 year old man stabbed multiple times
This stabbing event occurred where TriMet buses stop and hold over next to Milwaukie City Hall
The stabbing took place around 7:30 pm in down town Milwaukie on June 7, 2021.
The victim is said to be now recovering from multiple stab wounds, after intensive care surgery. The attacker supposedly asks the victim for a cigarette which the victim doesn't carry on him, and this attacker than proceeds to stab the victim multiple times.
The Milwaukie police are able to track down the attacker shortly after the incident is reported to them.
The attacker is subsequently jailed. As it turns out the attacker is already convicted previously for an assault in Clark County, Washington. "Catch and release" (prior to this latest assault)?
I don't think this is what the Council and its Milwaukie Vision wanted as far as wanting to create an active down town.
(Posted by Elvis Clark on June 9, 2021)
I highlighted the Elk Rock fire earlier this month, and now it is thought Arson caused
Photo of September 9, 2020, Elk Rock Fire just below.
(posted by Elvis Clark on October 17, 2020)
2 acre fire, back in September 2020, on elk rock
Interestingly, the Elk Rock fire is put out using fire boats (I hear) while also stretching fire hoses all the way to Sparrow street fire hydrant.
(posted by Elvis Clark on October 7, 2020)
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Two Milwaukie Incidences with one on April 16th, a drowning; and the second April 17th, a stabbing
A man from Happy Valley fell out of his Kayak without a life preserver and is presumed dead, this incident occurring on April 17th. He fell out near the City's Elk Rock Island Park while paddling the Willamette. per Clackamas Review April 23d weekly edition.
In the other incidence, two homeless people got into a fight, it sounds like near 26th and Sparrow, around the Trolley Trail; and one of the two men got stabbed a couple of times by the other. The stabs weren't fatal, and victim is expected to fully recover. per Clackamas Review April 23d weekly edition.
(posted April 24, 2020 by Elvis Clark)