Crash on West Fourth Street in The Dalles Leads to Arrest After Suspect Flees Scene

This recently purchased Jeep was likely totaled when another car ran into it on West Fourth Street on Wednesday afternoon, July 30.

Witnesses say man attempted to run after wrecking borrowed car

The Dalles, Ore., July 30, 2025 — A man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a crash on West Fourth Street left one vehicle badly damaged and prompted a foot chase, according to police and witnesses on the scene.

The collision occurred around 12:15 p.m. in the 400 block when a gray sedan struck a parked white Jeep, shoving the SUV several feet forward and onto the sidewalk. The impact significantly damaged the Jeep’s rear axle and driver-side wheel.

The owner of the Jeep, who had only purchased the vehicle a month prior, was nearby at the time of the crash and managed to photograph the suspect’s vehicle after the driver exited and fled on foot.

A patron at a nearby massage business also took a photograph of the fleeing man, and a witness said the driver of the gray sedan inadvertently dropped his wallet on the street while exiting the car — helping officers later identify and apprehend him.

The sedan was not registered to the man but had been loaned to him to run errands. His name had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon.

The Dalles Police closed off the street for more than an hour while clearing the scene. A tow truck removed the disabled vehicle at approximately 1:30 p.m.

The incident remains under investigation.