COPS Crew Seriously Injured in Portland

Date: September 29, 2009
Location: SE 136th Avenue and Stark Street, Portland
Names: Jeffrey Ruppel, Robert King

Alcohol may have been a factor in a head-on collision that seriously injured a member of the film crew for the reality television show COPS, which was filming in Portland. On September 29, 2009, at about 9 PM, a police car driven by East Precinct Officer Jeffrey Ruppel was hit head-on by a vehicle, driven by Robert King, 53, that had veered into the wrong lane. According to The Oregonian, police suspect King of driving under the influence of alcohol, but he had not yet been cited. One of the passengers in the police car sustained serious head injuries; he remained hospitalized as of September 30.

The accident occurred near the intersection of SE 136th Avenue and Stark Street. Ruppel, a five-year veteran with the Portland police, was on routine patrol while being filmed for the long-running reality TV show “COPS,” and two members of the film crew were riding in his back seat.

King was also hospitalized. Ruppel and another passenger were not seriously injured, and were treated at a local hospital and released. The names of the two film crew members are being withheld pending notification of their families.

Iesha Ash, who lives nearby, described the crash to LivePDX.com as “very bad.” She continued, “If you get on the other side, the cop car is all smashed up.” Ash said crashes in the area are common.

An investigation is continuing.

We encourage people to educate themselves on the law of drunk driving in Oregon, and we provide free information to help you settle your lawsuit without an attorney. But when a drunk driver is involved, the law becomes very tricky, and you should contact the best Portland accident attorneys.