On Monday May 15, 2017, North Precinct officers responded to the report of a driver traveling northbound on I-5 near Jantzen Beach, weaving in and out of traffic, scraping the jersey barrier in a vehicle with flat tires.
Officers arrived and stopped the driver near the I-5 bridge. Officers made contact with the driver, later identified as 28-year-old Amal Shariff of Seattle, Washington, and noted that there were two small children in the back seat and that they were crying.
The driver was asked to get out of the car as part of an impaired driving investigation and once out, officers began to place Shariff into custody. Shariff struggled with officers and struck an officer in the face with her elbow before officers were able to gain control of her and place her into handcuffs.
Shariff was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on charges of Assaulting a Police Officer (two counts), Resist Arrest, Recklessly Endangering Another Person (two counts), Reckless Driving, and Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants.
Shariff's children were taken into protective custody and turned over to the Department of Human Services.
Drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs injure and kill thousands of people every year. People consuming alcohol or drugs are urged not to get behind the wheel and should have a sober driver or utilize taxis, rideshare companies or transit so everyone is safe on our streets.
The Portland Police Bureau is committed to working with our partners in government and the community to create safer streets and work towards reducing, and eventually eliminating, traffic fatalities as part of Vision Zero.
To learn more about the City of Portland's Vision Zero effort, please visit: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/40390
Source: Portland Police Bureau