A Clark County man accused in a crime spree last month — which included a hit-and-run and multiple attempted car jackings, ending with a high-speed police chase into Portland — appeared Monday via video in Clark County Superior Court.
Jonathan Samuel Harmon, 27, is facing charges of first-degree robbery, two counts of attempted second-degree robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, hit-and-run of an attended vehicle and attempting to elude police.
Harmon’s girlfriend, Brittany Reynolds, 22, of Battle Ground, is named as a co-defendant on the charging information. She appeared in court Friday and faces allegations of first-degree robbery, attempted second-degree robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Judge David Gregerson set Harmon’s bail at $300,000. Reynolds’ bail was set at $75,000, court records show.
At about 5:45 p.m. May 22, Harmon and Reynolds were involved in a hit-and-run while driving a stolen 2003 Audi A3. Harmon was driving south on Andresen Road and made a U-turn, causing a 2008 Saturn Vue to collide with the driver’s door of the Audi, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Harmon and Reynolds ran from the crash scene, south on Andresen, toward businesses on the east side of the road. The couple then got into a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox at Taste of China, 8720 N.E. Centerpointe Drive, occupied by Deborah Kampe, the affidavit says.
Kampe was sitting in the passenger’s seat while her husband picked up their food. Harmon demanded the keys from Kampe, told her he had a gun and threatened to shoot her if she didn’t give him the keys. As they argued, the woman’s husband exited the restaurant, saw the argument and began yelling at Harmon. The couple fled and ran toward the nearby Wendy’s, court records state.
Harmon then confronted a man, Joel Jenisch, in the parking lot, punched him in the shoulder and took his car keys. He ran south toward a car wash, where he climbed into a 2015 Subaru Forester that was parked with its doors open to be cleaned, according to court documents.
Jenisch followed and wrestled his car keys away from Harmon, as the owner of the Subaru approached. Harmon exited the vehicle and ran south toward Home Depot, the affidavit says.
The couple then approached two people sitting in a red 2004 Ford Escape, which was parked on the west end of the parking lot. The driver, Breanna Netherda, knew Harmon and Reynolds, and they asked her to give them a ride.
But when told the couple had wrecked their car, Netherda told everyone to exit her vehicle. Harmon pushed Netherda out of her car, closing the door on her hand. He and Reynolds then sped off, according to the affidavit.
Netherda’s car was located about an hour later in the area of Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast Covington Road. Multiple personal items were missing from her vehicle, court records say.
Then, shortly before 8 p.m., an officer was patrolling around Reynolds’ apartment complex in the 10700 block of Northeast 59th Street and saw Harmon driving a gray Chevrolet HHR. The officer followed the suspect vehicle until it pulled into the driveway of a residence in the 9800 block of Northeast 100th Avenue. As the officer started to approach, the suspect vehicle fled, driving through the front yard, onto Northeast 100th Avenue, according to a separate probable cause affidavit.
A pursuit ensued, and the suspect vehicle sped through town, ignoring traffic laws, and got onto the southbound Interstate 205 onramp, made a U-turn around a median and got back onto Fourth Plain, the affidavit says.
The suspect vehicle then turned north onto Northeast Thurston Way, running a red light, and drove into oncoming traffic before getting onto state Highway 500 eastbound. It then returned to southbound I-205, driving on the right shoulder to avoid traffic. The vehicle weaved in and out of traffic going nearly 120 mph before exiting onto Airport Way in Portland, court records state.
About 20 minutes later, Portland police used spike strips to stop the vehicle. Harmon and another occupant were arrested.
