Oregon man in 'Talladega Nights' costume arrested after allegedly committing a series of crimes
10/29/2021 1:34 pm PDT
CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (TCD) -- A 25-year-old man allegedly stole a truck, drove erratically, and shot at a witness on Tuesday before stealing a "Talladega Nights" costume and robbing a home.
According to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the crime spree began around 6 p.m. when the suspect, Alexis Ibarra Gomez, was seen driving dangerously in a stolen black GMC pickup and running several stop signs.
A witness who called 911 followed Gomez in order to get his license plate number. According to the statement, Gomez stopped his vehicle, "pointed a handgun out the driver’s-side window and fired multiple shots backwards in the direction of the witness." The witness allegedly dodged the bullets before firing back with a rifle. Both individuals reportedly avoided any gunfire injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office says that Gomez had a female passenger with him in the truck, which was reportedly stolen in Salem.
Gomez was reportedly spotted by deputies driving into oncoming traffic on Highway 213, but he failed to stop. The chase resumed on Henrici Road and at one point, authorities used spike strips to force him to stop, the Sheriff’s Office says.
Gomez reportedly crashed the stolen GMC into a garage around 6:18 p.m. According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were told by a witness that Gomez "fled the vehicle, jumped a fence, and ran eastbound into a wooded area."
Deputies discovered the female fleeing the crash. She was interviewed and released a short while later.
At the same time, Gomez reportedly broke into a Beaver Lake area home nearby while the homeowner was gone. The Sheriff’s Office says the homeowner was able to detect the break-in using his security system and alerted police.
Paul Wille, the homeowner, told KGW-TV that he was able to walk police through Gomez’s steps while reviewing his home security system live. Wille’s wife and two daughters were not home at the time, KGW reports.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the SWAT team responded to the scene along with air support. Following a short standoff, Gomez eventually left the home on a bicycle wearing a "Talladega Nights" Ricky Bobby costume allegedly he stole from Wille’s home. Gomez reportedly dropped to the ground after seeing that the house was surrounded.
In addition to stealing the costume, Gomez reportedly tried to steal other items, including a suitcase filled with jewelry that was found in the home.
Wille told KGW, "Out of anything to choose from in the home, he found my Halloween outfit ... the full jumpsuit with the hat. He takes that and my bicycle with two flat tires and tries to escape. Apparently that didn’t work too well,"
Gomez was brought to the Willamette Falls Hospital for evaluation by the SWAT team before being booked into the Clackamas County Jail on multiple charges, including first-degree assault, attempting to elude police, and first-degree burglary.
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