Armed Driver Passed Out at the Wheel Safely Arrested

On Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 4:48 a.m., Portland Police Officers assigned to North Precinct responded to a report that an unconscious driver was stopped in the intersection of Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Northeast 82nd Avenue, but was slowly rolling into the intersection.

First arriving officers positioned their vehicles in front and behind the driver's vehicle, a 2017 Honda Civic, in order to stop it from rolling and give them a chance to try to assess the medical status of the driver. As officers walked up, they saw a semiautomatic handgun with extended magazine, in the driver's lap.

Officers requested additional resources and closed the intersection as a precaution to reduce the potential risk to the public. Hoping to deescalate the situation and minimize the risk to everyone involved, officers used a public address system to call out to the driver. After about 10 minutes, the driver woke up and cooperated with police commands. Due to the extra resources and the carefully planned response, ultimately the situation was deescalated and the suspect was arrested without incident. A loaded firearm with a 26-round extended magazine inserted was recovered from the vehicle. Because it was unlawfully possessed, it was seized as evidence. The car was towed as a hazard.

Leonardo A. Gomez-Hernandez, 20, of Vancouver, Washington, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearms (ORS 166.250) and Unlawful Possession Loaded Firearm in Public (City Code 14A.60.010).

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