Lake Oswego man arrested after hitting 6 cars, sending 2 people to hospital in Tigard

A Lake Oswego man who hit six cars along Southwest Pacific Highway — sending two people to the hospital — had to be held down by an off-duty officer and other bystanders while Tigard Police responded to the scene.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, Tigard Police responded to reports of a crash on Southwest Pacific Highway (also known as 99W) near Southwest 78th Avenue. According to a press release from the department, witnesses claimed a man in a pickup truck had been driving erratically, hit several cars and ran a red light.

Officers learned the driver, 43-year-old David Rudge, had crashed into five cars and then into a sixth after running the light, according to the release, and had already eluded police in Lake Oswego around 4 p.m.

Two of the people in the sixth car were taken to the hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, the release states, and the southbound lane of the road was temporarily closed for investigation.

Rudge then exited his vehicle holding a knife, witnesses told police, and an off-duty Lake Oswego police officer who happened to be nearby held down Rudge with the help of other bystanders while waiting for law enforcement to arrive.

Rudge was arrested on five counts of criminal mischief charges, a reckless driving charge, two counts of fourth-degree assault and two felony charges for failure to perform the duties of a driver to injured persons. He is in custody at the Washington County Jail, as of 1 p.m. Thursday, March 28.