Victim struck by car; shots fired in Newberg

Christian Gonzalez

NEWBERG - A Tigard resident was arrested Sunday by Newberg-Dundee police in connection with a Saturday afternoon incident in which an adult male was hit by a car followed by shots being fired.

Christian Joseph Gonzalez-Terraza, 21, was charged with one count each of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, fail to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person and reckless driving. He was booked into the Yamhill County Jail on $172,500 bail.

Capt. Jeff Kosmicki gave this account:

About 4:15 p.m. Saturday, officers  responded to 508 E. First Street on a report of a disturbance involving shots fired. This address is a restaurant with apartments on the upper level. Behind the restaurant between First and Second streets is a parking lot used by several First Street businesses.

Officers arrived and spoke with the victim who had been hit by the car. He said he was just leaving his apartment and was locking the door when he turned to find three men standing behind him. The victim stated he did not know them.

One of the men made comments leading the victim to believe the man was Gonzales, his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend.

The victim said the three men started throwing punches at him. Afterward, the trio left down a flight of stairs and the victim followed them.

The victim said he ran into the downstairs restaurant and encountered a co-worker identifided as James Velasquez-Stanton.

He told Velasquez what occurred and they went outside in an attempt to obtain a license plate of the vehicle the three men were getting into.

The victim said he saw the suspect's vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Impala, back up and ram a parked vehicle.

Officers learned that Joel Vasquez-Gonzalez was standing just outside the vehicle when it was hit. When officers interviewed him he said he was standing next to the parked car when the suspect vehicle backed into his car causing the vehicle to strike him.

The victim said after striking the parked vehicle the suspect's car accelerated towards him and Velasquez, who was legally carrying a concealed handgun.

He said as the car accelerated toward them, thinking he was going to get hit by the car, he stepped aside and fired four rounds into the car as it passed him.

The victim said he was walking toward the car when it accelerated at him and he jumped to avoid being struck.

As the car hit the victim it caused him to roll over the hood impacting the windshield. The victim estimated the speed of the car traveling at 20 to 25 mph when it hit him. The victim was transported to a hospital with abrasions to his forehead and hands, in addition to a an arm injury.

After striking the victim with his vehicle, Gonzalez fled the scene in an alley between First and Second Street that leads to College Street. A witness attempted to follow the vehicle but lost it and returned to the scene.

Gonzalez turned himself in Sunday afternoon to offer police a statement.