Police watch man drive onto sidewalk
Frank J. Gilbert arrested for driving while impaired
Frank J. Gilbert
Contributed photo
A man on four prescription medications drove so erratically, he swerved onto a sidewalk, drove over traffic cones and barrels in a construction zone and veered into a ditch before stopping for police.
The driver – identified as Frank J. Gilbert, 56, of Boring – is being held on $12,500 bail at the Multnomah County Detention Center on allegations of driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and recklessly endangering workers.
Officers responding to reports of a possibly intoxicated driver near Southeast 282d Avenue and Orient Drive at 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, noticed a very slow moving vehicle northbound on Southeast 257th Drive from East Powell Boulevard, said Sgt. Rick Wilson, Gresham police spokesman.
The motorist was driving between 9 and 20 mph, weaving from side to side and at one point drove up onto the sidewalk. Officers tried to pull the driver over, but he continued at a slow speed toward a work zone on Southeast Kane that extends north almost to Division.
As the motorist and officer entered the work zone, the motorist ran over traffic cones, barrels and drove into a ditch. At least three road workers jumped out of the way to avoid being hit, Wilson said.
Finally, at Northeast Seventh Court just north of Kane Park, the motorist pulled over at 10:42 a.m. and was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators determined Gilbert was on at least four prescription medications that can severely impair driving. As for why he didn’t stop, the man apparently did not realize police were behind him, Wilson said.
“It should be noted that this was not a traffic pursuit,” Wilson wrote in a press release. “It was simply a failure to yield.”