Jury finds man guilty for driving stolen tow truck with operator hanging from back
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The man who drove a stolen tow truck as the operator clung to the back of the vehicle has been found guilty on various counts.
On Friday afternoon, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office revealed that a jury found Eric Clayton Strietzel guilty of several felony charges, including second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, unlawful use of a vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle and first-degree theft.
The 38-year-old man was also hit with guilty verdicts for multiple misdemeanors, including second-degree criminal mischief, failure to perform the duties of a driver and four counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Officials said the jury acquitted Strietzel’s other charges of first-degree robbery and second-degree kidnapping, yet he is still facing at least 70 months in prison.
The case, which went to trial on Tuesday, stems from an incident that started on the Steel Bridge on July 10, 2023. KOIN 6 previously reported on the dash cam footage, showing Strietzel driving up to 85 miles per hour and colliding with other vehicles while tow truck operator Travis Christ clung to the back.
Christ was left injured after the incident that lasted about 11 minutes.
"I think the jury took the evidence seriously and returned a verdict that reflected the seriousness of the defendant's conduct,” Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Christopher Shull said in a statement. “They concluded this wasn't just reckless but that Mr. Streitzel knew he was going to cause physical injury to Mr. Christ. Mr. Christ could have easily been killed in the course of this driving."
Streitzel’s sentencing is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.