Reckless Driver Arrested Following Police Pursuit Spanning Multiple Neighborhoods

On Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 8:15 a.m., a Portland Police Officer assigned to Central Precinct attempted a traffic stop of the driver of a black 1999 Ford Expedition SUV near Northwest 19^th Avenue and Northwest Savier Street. The driver failed to yield, speeding away well above safe levels. Initially, the officer did not pursue and began requesting additional resources.

But despite not being chased by the police, the suspect drove up onto a sidewalk and through the grass in Couch Park (551 NW 19th Ave), nearly striking multiple pedestrians. The driver sped to West Burnside Street, weaving around traffic, in and out of the marked lanes of travel, nearly striking a bicyclist and a utility worker. Officers attempted to get ahead of the driver to deploy Stop Sticks and safely deflate the vehicle's tires, but the driver's speeds were so fast that officers were unable to get to their equipment in time.

Officers initiated a traffic pursuit with police lights and sirens both to stop the driver but also alert other road users of the dangerous suspect. The suspect crossed the Burnside Bridge, but then turned northbound on Northeast Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, which was the wrong way on a one-way street. The officer discontinued pursuit in an effort to prompt the driver to slow down and turn back into the legal flow of traffic. He failed to slow or turn off for 11 blocks, finally turning onto Northeast Holladay Street. His driving continued to put all road users in the area at extreme risk, so the officer re-initiated a pursuit.

The suspect drove to Northeast Broadway, then onto North Williams Avenue and onto northbound I-5. Again, the officer tried to encourage the driver to operate his vehicle with more care by terminating the pursuit. Still, the driver was speeding, weaving around traffic, and using the shoulder. He exited onto North Greeley Avenue, still not improving his driving, prompting officers to reinitiate a vehicle pursuit again north on North Interstate Avenue. The suspect caused a non-injury crash near North Lombard Street and North Villard Avenue.

The officer was able to use a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT), spinning the vehicle and stopping it near the intersection of North Drummond Avenue and North Farragut Street. Other officers used their vehicles to pin in the suspect vehicle. The driver attempted to ram his way out, but was unsuccessful.

Officers ordered him out of the vehicle, but instead he was seen smoking out of a glass pipe typically used to inhale methamphetamines. When he finished, he surrendered and was arrested at 8:30 a.m. An adult female passenger was determined to be a victim of the suspect's criminal actions.

Officers booked the David J. Rushfeldt, 33, into the Multnomah County Detention Center on six outstanding arrest warrants and new charges of Attempting to Elude Police by Vehicle (C Felony), Domestic Violence Coercion, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver-property damage. The case number is 26-198843.

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