Police search for suspect accused of injuring woman in hit-and-run crash at gas station

GRESHAM, Ore. — A woman was injured in a hit-and-run crash at a gas station in Gresham Wednesday night, and police are searching for the suspect.

Police responded to the Shell gas station on SE 181st Avenue and Stark Street shortly before 9:30 p.m.

When they arrived, witnesses told police there was a disturbance between two people inside a newer, white Jeep SUV and employees at the gas station. One of the people walked out with a bag of chips without paying for it.

When the manager confronted them, surveillance video shows the suspect hitting the manager repeatedly.

A few other employees - along with a homeless woman who cleans the parking lot -- ran to help.

That's when police say the suspect got back into their SUV, sped away and hit the homeless woman in the process. She's expected to be OK.

“That's really rough, really crazy that people would act like that and take advantage of their cars or act really violent,” customer Jacob Garcia said.

Gresham Police say the two people seen in the surveillance video driving the white Jeep are still on the loose and are persons of interest.

“It scares me, they could do it again and hit another person if they’re not found,” neighbor Jessie Williams said.

This particular Shell station is known to neighbors as a family-friendly store with employees who really care for all customers -- enough to even help them out.

“How much is a bag of chips, like 99 cents or something like that? If you don't have enough, you can talk to the person and ask if you can have them,” Garcia said.

Gresham Police are asking anyone who may know the two individuals in the video to give them a call.

Anyone with information should call the non-emergency line at (503) 823-3333.