Police Chase Ends in Crash, Injures Three Children

Date: August 7, 2010
Location: SE 136th & Division, Portland, Oregon
Names: Phillip Hattig, Delaney Bean, [Unknown]

A 40-year-old man led police on a chase at speeds up to 60 MPH and wound up in a four-car crash that injured a grandmother and three granddaughters, but officers finally caught up to him, according to The Oregonian.

On August 7, 2010, around 5 PM, a police officer was flagged down about a van driving erratically in the area of SE 130th Avenue and Foster Road in Portland, Oregon. The officer spotted the out-of-control driver and tried to stop the vehicle near 134th Avenue.

Police tried to stop the van with spike strips, but it kept going, running a red light and crashing into three other vehicles in the intersection of 136th and Division.

The van’s driver, who was later identified as Phillip Hattig, 40, and four persons from one other vehicle, were taken to area hospitals. Their injuries were described as serious but not life-threatening.

According to KATU.com, the injured persons in the other vehicle were an 87-year-old grandmother and her granddaughters. One of the girls was Delaney Bean, 14, who is starting her freshman year in high school in a few short weeks, and will now have to start school using a walker. Bean suffered a cracked pelvis, broken nose, three fractured ribs, and a punctured lung.

Bean told reporters, “I just want to know why he would do that – and why he would hurt little kids and people when they had nothing to do with him.”

Hattig was driving an unreported stolen van, and alcohol was a factor in the crash. In addition, Hattig had been released from jail the day before, for attempted theft and trespassing. He had a long rap sheet, with a criminal history going back years.

In court August 9, Hattig pleaded not guilty to the following charges:

• Second-Degree Assault
• Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle
• Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
• Reckless Driving
• DUI

We send our wishes to Delaney for quick healing and a good start to her high school career. We also send our thoughts and prayers to Delaney’s grandmother and the other young people who were injured in this tragic crash.

This crash emphasizes how important it is to have adequate UIM (underinsured motorist) coverage. Here’s how it works:

Suppose you’ve been seriously injured in a car crash, and the total cost of damages to you exceeds the insurance limit of the person who hit you. There are other ways for you to collect the additional money you deserve.

Let’s say that a jury decides that your injuries are worth $75,000, but the person who hit you only has $25,000 worth of insurance. You may still be able to collect the additional $50,000 through your UIM coverage, or by collecting from the person directly.

Your automobile insurance should include UIM coverage. If you are hit by someone who does not have enough insurance to compensate you, your UIM coverage is supposed to step in and make up for the difference. We recommend that you have at least $250,000 of UIM coverage per person, and $500,000 per accident. This is known as 250/500 coverage. This coverage will protect you and your family in case you are hit by someone with inadequate (or no) insurance.

You may also be able to collect money from the individual person who hit you. This may or may not be a good idea, depending on the person’s assets. If the person who hit you is flat broke, then attempting to collect money from him/her is a waste of time and money. On the other hand, if the person is quite wealthy, it can be worth it. A good Portland car accident attorney will know how to investigate the financial standing of the person who hit you, and will be able to advise you on whether or not attempting to collect directly is a good idea.