Man accused of holding gun to victim's head demanding money, crashing car while fleeing
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A 20-year-old is facing numerous charges after authorities in St. Helens say he held a gun to someone's head outside of an apartment demanding money and then crashed a car while fleeing from the scene.
Police in St. Helens say Raymond Ronald Wayne Helms was arrested Friday night and taken to Columbia County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, coercion, menacing, witness tampering, tampering with evidence, DUII, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.
Officers received a call on Friday night just after 9:30 p.m. for a report of an attempted robbery on Cowlitz Street in St. Helens, where the victim reported he was outside when a man approached him, according to police.
The victim had "a brief conversation" with the man before the man pulled out a gun and held it to the victim's head to demand money, according to St. Helens police. However, the victim was able to go inside his apartment and lock the door to call 911 while watching the suspect, later identified as Helms, run away from the scene in a vehicle and giving descriptions.
Law enforcement officers with the St. Helens Police Department and Columbia County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and searched the area for the suspect and vehicle, but could find neither.
However, around 10:12 p.m., dispatch received another call about a vehicle crash on Miller Road in Scappoose, where responding officers in Scappoose found a driver and vehicle matching the description of Helms in the reported earlier robbery, according to St. Helens police.
St. Helens officers and Columbia County deputies went to the scene in Scappoose to investigate, and from there, Helms was arrested.
No other details were immediately available.
The investigation is ongoing.