'Huffing' Oregon City woman arrested for third DUI after police chase

Shanon Harlan allegedly crashed car in Tualatin, drove off, authorities claim.

Shanon Marie Harlan, 37, of Oregon City was taken to the hospital this week after it was learned that she had been "huffing" Office Depot-brand compressed air, which contains difluoroethane (DFE). This is her third arrest for DUI this year, and her second involving inhalants.

At about 10:47 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15, police were dispatched to an address in Oregon City to check on a driver who'd allegedly just been involved in a hit-and-run crash in Tualatin. The suspect vehicle in the hit-and-run, a silver Dodge Durango, was registered to Harlan's Oregon City address.

Harlan had reportedly just hit another occupied vehicle in front of the 7-Eleven on Nyberg Road and 65th in Tualatin. According to a witness, the victim driver got out of the car and attempted to stop Harlan, but she drove around the victim and continued down the road.

Meanwhile, a citizen driver who had witnessed the crash continued to follow the suspect Durango deeper into Clackamas County along rural roads in the area.

The concerned citizen driver called 911  telling dispatchers that Harlan was driving erratically and seemed to be having difficulty maintaining consciousness.

As a Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Traffic Team deputy was en route to try to intercept Harlan, a West Linn Police officer was able to locate her as she was driving onto Interstate 205 at Stafford Road.

After an attempted stop and short pursuit, the West Linn Police officer finally forced Harlan off the road and blocked the Durango, after which she was arrested.

"Thanks to the quick actions of the WLPD officer, the driver was likely prevented from doing far more damage at highway speeds," said CCSO Sgt. Nathan Thompson.

Harlan was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, Dec. 18 at Clackamas County Court for one of those prior DUIIs.



By Raymond Rendleman

News Editor

