Hillsboro Woman Damages Police Cars During Chase Tuesday

FOREST GROVE, OR — Three Washington County Sheriff's Office patrol cars were damaged, one deputy was injured, and three other people — and their dog — were menaced by a Hillsboro woman in a car chase that coursed through Forest Grove early Tuesday, ultimately concluding at TTM Technologies.

Crystal Dale Elliott, 38, was lodged at the Washington County Jail on three counts of attempted assault, assault on a peace officer, third degree assault, attempt to elude, two counts of criminal mischief, reckless driving, and two outstanding warrants from Washington and Tillamook counties. No bail information was available at the time of this writing.

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, deputies and Forest Grove police were notified by dispatchers around 3:45 a.m. Nov. 7 that three people — two women, one man — and a dog were being followed north of Forest Grove through the 7000-block of Highway 47 by an older Buick station wagon driven by Elliott.

Sheriff's spokesman Jeff Talbot told Patch the man in the vehicle being chased was Elliott's estranged boyfriend. The pair had been in some kind of domestic dispute earlier, and when the man left in the vehicle with the two women Elliott reportedly pursued him, reaching speeds of 70 to 80 mph on Highway 47, sporadically veering into the opposite lane and even the bike lane, all while screaming at her boyfriend from her car and trying to push them off the road.

When a Forest Grove officer finally located Elliott's Buick, he reportedly initiated a traffic stop — and Elliott initially complied. With the Buick pulled over to the side of Highway 47, the Forest Grove officer exited his car, Talbot said. As he approached Elliott's window, Elliott kicked the Buick back into gear and sped off, Talbot said, noting that as the same moment the Washington County deputies arrived and were able to pick up the pursuit.

Elliott reportedly continued southbound on Highway 47, speeding through Forest Grove and turning onto Poplar Street — a dead end road leading to an industrial area west of Neil Armstrong Middle School.

Elliott allegedly rammed the first patrol car on Poplar Street. When she reached the dead end of Poplar Lane, Elliott reportedly turned around and smashed head-on into the second patrol car, spinning her Buick into the grassy lawn at TTM Technologies. The third patrol car followed up and collided with the Buick, bringing the chase to an end.

Talbot was unsure whether the third patrol car hit Elliott, or if Elliott hit the patrol car. Either way, two of the patrol vehicles were able to drive out of the area. The third required a tow.

The injured deputy received "bumps and bruises," Talbot said, though he was able to go home and is currently resting with his family.

One of the deputies who regularly works night shifts and has been in car pursuits before told Talbot the chase with Elliott was "a crazy pursuit, even for him."

The two women, the man, and the dog were uninjured, Talbot said.

Elliott has a criminal history stretching back nearly a decade, which includes multiple convictions for possession of methamphetamines.

Photos Courtesy: Washington County Sheriff's Office