Police vehicles around the time of Santos’ arrest in Banks. Photo: WCSO
Two individuals made their mark in Banks on Friday and Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said, leading police on a series of pursuits by car, on a motorcycle, and on foot, eventually culminating in the arrests of two men this weekend.
Friday at 5:40 p.m., a Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the city of Banks attempted to stop a white Ford Mustang near Oak Way and Main Street. The driver allegedly fled the scene, with the deputy terminating a vehicle pursuit for safety reasons.
With the help of the neighboring Forest Grove Police Department, the suspect was identified as 31-year-old Donald M. Santos, of Forest Grove.
Santos was later found that evening, and fled again. Like the last pursuit, he was successful in his attempts to avoid capture, with deputies once again terminating their pursuit for safety reasons.
With the search on for Santos, an individual driving a motorcycle was seen leaving a property associated with him near Banks. Deputies tried to stop the motorcycle driver on Highway 26, but the driver fled east toward North Plains, avoiding capture long enough to make it to the city.
Parking the motorcycle in North Plains, the driver left on foot, was located, arrested, and identified by deputies as 33-year-old Alden D. French, of Aloha.
Finally, Santos, who up to this point had eluded police, was arrested on Saturday evening around 7:15 p.m. in the shopping center near Jim’s Market.
Santos was booked into the Washington County Jail on charges including two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, two counts of reckless driving, and a parole violation.
French was booked into the Washington County Jail on charges including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, unlawful possession of heroin, and a probation violation.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
