A man accused of intentionally ramming a Gresham police car is behind bars on allegations of attempted first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and felony elude. He also is being held on a parole detainer issued by the U.S. Marshal's Office. 
Police with help from a U.S. Marshal's task force arrested Richard Pierre Overton, 40, of Northeast Portland at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 11, near Southeast 160th Avenue and East Burnside Street, said Lt. Claudio Grandjean, Gresham police spokesman.
Overton allegedly rammed a Gresham police car on Friday night causing an officer to shoot at the fleeing car. He is on federal probation for a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Grandjean said. Overton also has an extensive criminal record that includes assaulting police officers, he added.
The incident leading to Overton's his most recent arrest began at 10:42 p.m. Friday, March 8, when two Gresham officers encountered the suspect's vehicle at Northeast 167th Place and Couch Street.
One of the officers had just exited his police car and was standing near it when police say Overton intentionally drove his car into the police vehicle. Overton narrowly missed the officer and pushed the police car into a fire hydrant.
Neither of the officers were injured and one of them fired at Overton's car. Information on how many shots were fired is not available, Grandjean said.
Eleven minutes later, a Multnomah County Sheriff's Office deputy saw the suspect's vehicle near Southeast 158th Avenue and Stark Street and tried to pull the driver over. But the car fled, leading to a pursuit that also involved Portland police.
Police eventually found the car abandoned at Southeast 126th Avenue and Stark Street. Overton had fled the vehicle. Officers from Multnomah County, Portland Police and Gresham Police searched for the driver but didn't find him until Saturday night.
The officer who fired the gun is on administrative leave, as is routine in an officer involved shooting, while detectives continue to investigate. The case remains under investigation.