Man in stolen semi who caused standoff on I-205 held on $200k bond

The man who allegedly stole a commercial vehicle, prompting an aggressive chase and standoff on Interstate 205 made his first appearance in court on Tuesday. 

Jesus Ernesto Meza-Sanchez was arrested on Monday afternoon, June 10th after stealing a commercial vehicle in Vancouver, Washington, starting a police chase, ramming a police car, and engaging in a standoff with police before being taken into custody. 

According to KGW8, Knight Transportation reported a tractor trailer stolen, prompting police to locate the vehicle. When officers tried to box it in, Meza-Sanchez rammed through their vehicles, injuring one officer, and drove away. Police then pursued Meza-Sanchez onto I-84 and then northbound on I-205, where they successfully deployed spike strips, but the rig continued “riding on rims.”

The driver finally stopped Northeast Burton Road in Clark County, and engaged in a standoff that lasted about 40 minutes. Both Meza-Sanchez and a passenger were initially arrested, but officers later released the unnamed passenger. 

Meza-Sanchez has an extensive criminal history in Washington, Oregon and Nevada, and had an active warrant in Washington for a DUI arrest back in 2022. His history of charges in Nevada include car theft, domestic battery, battery, unlawful possession of a firearm and DUI, all from 2013 through 2019. 

Meza-Sanchez’s Oregon charges include felony coercion, DUI, assault and criminal trespass, and more from 2005-2009. Oregon charges from this year include first-degree burglary and criminal mischief, and an active warrant related to second-degree burglary, criminal mischief and theft of services. 

“With that criminal history, and then with the conduct discussed in the probable cause statement, your honor,” the prosecutor said, “we view this defendant as both a flight risk and a significant danger to community safety. Our bail request here will be $200,000 and we’ll ask the court to set supervised release at the intensive level.”

During Meza-Sanchez’s court appearance Tuesday, the judge granted prosecutors their request for $200,000 bail. 

“Based on the probable cause finding and the somewhat extraordinary presentation made as relayed by the state,” Judge Gregerson said, “a very extensive criminal history (that is) somewhat alarming, and most alarming of all is the events from yesterday which apparently shut down major interstate travel in both directions for a very substantial period of time … based on that, I think there is a significant public safety factor which justifies the state’s request.”

 An arraignment has been scheduled for June 24 at 9 a.m.