Three men who allegedly shot at a Portland police officer, led police on a chase into Vancouver and prompted a large manhunt in the Minnehaha area Thursday night appeared Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court.
Locally, Cuahutemoc Hernandez, 24, of Vancouver is facing allegations of attempt to elude, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. Zachary M. Chronister, 27, of Sheridan, Ore., is facing allegations of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Jose A. Martinez Jr., 23, of Vancouver is facing an allegation of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Judge Nancy Retsinas set bail at $265,000 for Hernandez and $100,000 each for Chronister and Martinez. They are scheduled to be arraigned March 4.
They each also appeared on warrants out of Multnomah County, Ore., for charges related to the beginning of the police chase and shooting in Portland.
Martinez and Chronister are each charged in Oregon with first-degree attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records. Hernandez is charged with unlawful use of a weapon.
The incident began at about 10:35 p.m. as officers with the Portland Police Focused Intervention Team were patrolling near Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Interstate 205 due to recent gun crimes in the neighborhood, according to a news release from the police bureau. It said officers saw the driver of a black 2000 Ford Mustang make dangerous lane changes and fail to obey stop signs. When the officers tried to stop the Mustang, the car sped off.
A pursuit ensued, and an officer from the East Precinct deployed spike strips on the onramp to westbound Interstate 84 from Northeast 39th Avenue. That officer said the occupants of the Mustang shot at him as he was standing outside his patrol vehicle, the police bureau said. He was not wounded. Officers said they found bullet casings on the onramp.
Police pursued the Mustang as it traveled on flat tires north on Interstate 5 into Vancouver. Portland police requested assistance from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Vancouver Police Department.
When a Clark County sheriff’s deputy tried to pull over the Mustang, it continued traveling 40 to 45 mph on only one or two tires. The car was reportedly smoking and sparking. At one point, the driver, later identified by police as Hernandez, ran a red light and nearly struck a pedestrian, according to court records.
Shortly before 11 p.m., the Mustang crashed near Northeast St. Johns Road and 68th Street in the Minnehaha area. The three men ran from the car. Police immediately detained two, and the third was captured following a police K-9 track, the police bureau said.
The large police response prompted Clark Emergency Services Agency to issue an alert urging residents in the area to shelter in place, warning of a suspect who may be armed and dangerous. The all-clear was given around 11:45 p.m. once all of the suspects were in custody.
Portland Police Homicide Unit detectives responded to investigate. They obtained arrest warrants for the Mustang’s occupants. The sheriff’s office also issued a search warrant for the Mustang and recovered three firearms and additional bullet casings, the police bureau said.
