Explosion Inside Car On NW 185th Avenue Sends FBI Suspect To Hospital

HILLSBORO, OR — A Washington County deputy and the suspect he was looking for were taken to hospital Wednesday afternoon after being involved in an explosion on Northwest 185th Avenue in Hillsboro.

According to police, while Washington County Sheriff's deputies and Oregon FBI agents were attempting to serve a federal search warrant related to possible explosives at the Rock Creek 185 Apartments complex, 18840 N.W. Rock Creek Circle, a Washington County detective spotted 26-year-old Jason Paul Schaefer, a man the detective knew to be in violation of his probation and who also was associated with the residence where law enforcement authorities were serving the warrant.

When the detective initiated a traffic stop, Schaefer briefly led the detective on a short chase to Northwest 185th Avenue, where he stopped in the road just south of Northwest Rock Creek Boulevard around 4 p.m., police said.

As the detective — who authorities have not yet named — approached Schaefer's car, a small explosion went off, police said. Schaefer was reportedly able to exit the vehicle before police took him into custody for the alleged probation violation.

Both the detective and Schaefer were taken to hospital for evaluation, police said. The detective has since been released; Schaefer reportedly suffered severe injuries to his left hand and fingers and was undergoing treatment well into the evening Wednesday. When he is medically stable, police said, Schaefer will be taken to the Washington County Jail. As of Thursday afternoon, Schaefer was still in custody at hospital.

Schaefer is being charged with a probation violation, police said. He was convicted in May for a felon in possession of body armor charge, according to court documents. Police said Schaefer earned his felony record with an assault conviction in Eerie County, New York.

Schaefer does not have any other criminal history in Oregon, and police said he has not been formally charged with any additional crimes — though, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, "Detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit are working with other local and federal authorities and the Washington County District Attorney's Office to determine which charges may be appropriate."

Photo Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff's Office