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Hit and Run Driver Arrested in St. Helens After Damaging Natural Gas Line, Causing Neighborhood Lockdown
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2021
St. Helens, Ore. - On Wednesday, February 3 at approximately 5:39 p.m., St. Helens officers responded to the report of a hit and run driver at 1054 Oregon Street. The reporting party witnessed a dark colored vehicle hit an unidentified object on the side of the road before driving away.
When police arrived on scene, they discovered a large natural gas pipe had been damaged near the side of the road and was spraying natural gas into the air. St. Helens police immediately closed Oregon Street between Deer Island Road and Crestwood Village, Highway 30 westbound with the assistance of Oregon State Police, and the adjacent railroad. Police requested Columbia River Fire and Rescue and NW Natural be dispatched to the scene to secure the natural gas line. A safety perimeter was established and dispatch (Columbia 9-1-1- Communications District) began calling residents to notify them of the lockdown.
NW Natural arrived on scene and was able to turn off the gas line and make repairs without incident by 7:27 p.m. The highway, roads, railroad, and nearby residences were opened shortly after repairs were completed.
St. Helens officers did an area check for the suspected vehicle which was last seen traveling toward Crestwood Village, 1054 Oregon Street. During a check of the neighborhood, police learned of a resident with a black Chevrolet Camaro matching the description of the hit and run vehicle. The owner of the Camaro, Mark Alan Erhardt, 53, was seen leaving the neighborhood in a brown Jeep moments prior.
St. Helens police relayed this information to a nearby unit that had just witnessed the described Jeep pass his location. The officer conducted a traffic stop.
After further investigation, Erhardt was taken into custody and charged with two counts of DUII, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver.
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For further information regarding this case, please contact St. Helens police at 503-397-1521.
