Occupants in suspected stolen SUV seriously injured in head-on, I-405 crash

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The driver and passenger of a suspected stolen SUV were seriously injured in a head-on crash on I-405 on the night of March 28 after fleeing Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies in North Portland. 

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office states that the driver of the SUV rammed a Transit Police vehicle occupied by two sheriff’s deputies and fled the scene after the deputies attempted to stop the SUV in a parking lot near the Lombard Transit Center in North Portland at approximately 7:42 p.m.

“As the deputies were preparing to exit their vehicle, the suspect put the SUV in reverse and rammed the front of the Transit Police vehicle,” the MCSO said. “The suspect then drove away, hitting an uninvolved vehicle as it exited the parking lot.”

The suspects are said to have headed southbound on I-5 following the crash, where they were able to evade the pursuing deputies. Six minutes later, the fleeing SUV was spotted driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes of I-405, where it collided head-on with a car near the Glisan Street overpass. Another car that was unable to avoid the crash also collided with the vehicles.

MCSO deputies and Portland Police Bureau officers responded to the scene of the crash where they found the driver of the SUV, 30-year-old Kyle Christopher Voltz, and his passenger suffering from serious injuries. The diver of the other car involved in the head-on crash was taken to a local hospital with moderate injuries. 

A child inside the third car that was unable to avoid the collision was taken to the hospital out of precaution. No authorities were injured during the pursuit.

The northbound lanes of I-405 were temporarily closed near Glisan Street while officers investigated the crash scene. During the investigation, deputies determined that Voltz entered the westbound Highway 30 off ramp from I-405 northbound and drove into oncoming traffic.

“Based on the suspect’s behavior, deputies believe Voltz was under the influence of narcotics,” the MCSO said. “A blood test will be completed to confirm whether he was under the influence.”

Voltz is set to be booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center upon his release from the hospital. Voltz faces multiple charges, including assault in the first degree, the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felony eluding of officers, felony hit and run and reckless driving.