Police Make Arrest After Reckless Driving Pursuit, Burglary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2020

ST. HELENS, OR – At approximately 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, St. Helens police received a report of a vehicle traveling westbound on Highway 30 near Berg Road at over 100 miles per hour while passing multiple vehicles in the center lane of the highway.

Oregon State Police responded to the area and attempted to locate the vehicle described as a gray Acura passenger car.

At approximately 7:19 p.m., St. Helens police responded to the report of a disturbance on Shore Drive, St. Helens, involving the same vehicle described in the earlier traffic complaint. Charles Raymond Jacob, 43, of Portland, was reportedly intoxicated and had forced his way inside the apartment of a former girlfriend. It was reported that Jacob was making suicidal and homicidal statements. Jacob fled the scene prior to police arrival.

While St. Helens police were searching the area, an officer observed Jacob traveling in a gray Acura near the intersection of North Vernonia Road and Columbia Boulevard. St. Helens police and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped away. St. Helens police along with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office pursued the vehicle along North Vernonia Road and Pittsburg Road before losing sight of the suspect.

As police searched the area, a citizen reported a vehicle matching the description of Jacob’s Acura traveling approximately 90 miles per hour in the oncoming lanes of Scappoose-Vernonia Highway. The Vernonia Police Department located and pursued the vehicle along Highway 47. Jacob crashed the vehicle near Sleepy Lane on Nehalem Highway North and fled on foot. A Columbia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit was called to conduct a track, but Jacob was not located. Oregon State Police and Scappoose Police Department assisted with the search. Oregon State Police is the lead agency investigating the crash.

On Thursday, April 2, at approximately 9:19 a.m., St. Helens police responded to a report of Jacob attempting to enter his former girlfriend’s residence on Shore Drive again. Jacob left the scene before police arrived. Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies located Jacob a few blocks away and he was taken into custody by St. Helens Police.

Jacob was lodged at Columbia County Jail on charges of menacing, reckless endangering, Burglary I, offensive littering, harassment, reckless driving, and attempting to elude a police officer. Additional charges may be pending.

This is an ongoing investigation.

###

For further information regarding this case, please contact the St. Helens Police Department at 503-397-1521.