Inset: Samir Helio Pazzoto-Filho. Background: Pazzoto-Filho’s minivan crashed into a motorcycle in Oregon, cops said (Beaverton Police Department).
In Oregon, police were able to locate the driver of a minivan who is accused of hitting a motorcyclist. This collision allegedly led the motorcyclist to tumble off his bike and skid roughly 200 feet along a busy highway during what appears to be a road rage confrontation.
The incident occurred around 6:16 a.m. on Monday on westbound U.S. 26, situated between U.S. 217 and Cedar Hills Boulevard in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland. Authorities shared a video from a trailing vehicle that captured the confrontation. The footage shows both the minivan driver and the motorcyclist engaged in a heated exchange while traveling side-by-side on the highway.
More from Law&Crime: Drunk 19-year-old intentionally tried to rear-end motorcyclist in fatal road rage crash: Police
Without warning, the driver of the minivan veered into the motorcycle, causing it to be sideswiped and the rider to fall, sliding across the highway. The minivan driver then accelerated away, maneuvering erratically through the traffic. In response, other motorists stopped to assist the injured motorcyclist.
Beaverton police posted a clip of the video to its social media pages on Monday evening. A tip came in that identified the driver as 41-year-old Samir Helio Pazzoto-Filho. Cops said officers went to the home not far from the accident scene on Tuesday and found Pazzoto-Filho’s blue Kia Carnival with damage consistent with the accident.
Pazzoto-Filho is facing several charges including assault, hit-and-run, reckless driving and unlawful use of a weapon.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
According go police, the victim suffered serious injuries but is already home resting with family. Identifying him only as Correy, his sister started a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses. She described the aftermath of the crash.
“The impact was so severe that it launched him over 200 feet, and the force of the collision drove the gear shifter through his boots,” she wrote. “Miraculously, Correy survived. Thanks to the kindness of nearby strangers, he was quickly transported by ambulance to the hospital and received urgent medical care.”
The page also shows the victim’s scuffed up jacket and helmet along with a boot with a hole in the toe.
Cops believe Pazzoto-Filho had been driving recklessly “in the days prior” to the incident involving a motorcycle. Anyone with information is asked to call the Beaverton Police Department at 503-526-2261.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Pazzoto-Filho remained in the Washington County Jail. His next court appearance is slated for May 13.
