Reckless Driver Arrested in Astoria

On December 10, 2013 at about 4:50 pm Astoria Police received a call of a vehicle “spinning cookies” in the parking lot of Gray School, 785 Alameda Ave. The caller said that on leaving the parking lot the driver appeared to be intentionally hitting garbage cans on Alameda. The vehicle was described as a red Toyota Corolla. While units were en route to the call to try and intercept the vehicle, additional callers reported that the vehicle was now in the 300 block of Alameda driving eastbound, continuing to hit garbage cans and now hitting mailboxes as well. Callers later reported that the vehicle was traveling the wrong direction on Duane

Officer AJ Duryea was traveling on Exchange near Columbia Memorial Hospital when a burgundy Honda Civic traveling north on 20^th street failed to stop at the stop sign on Exchange prior to pulling on to Exchange in front of him. The vehicle turned north onto 21^st then west onto Marine Drive, without stopping at the stop sign. Officer Duryea activated his emergency lights to make a traffic stop. He also noticed that the vehicle had a flat front passenger side tire and was riding on its rim. The driver turned onto Commercial in front of City Lumber, accelerating.
With a police car with lights and siren activated following, the driver traveled south on 23^rd then east onto Marine Drive. The vehicle was traveling at about 55 MPH. It was not stopping for stop signs, signaling, nor checking for cross traffic.  At 29^th and Marine Drive Sergeant Aydt joined the pursuit. Both vehicles followed the suspect with lights and sirens activated.
At 33^rd and Marine Drive the driver pulled into the Safeway parking lot. The vehicle, with two police cars trailing, traveled through the parking lot at about 30 MPH. The parking lot was full of both vehicles and pedestrians. After making a loop around one of the islands in the parking lot the driver pulled back out the 33^rd Street exit crossing Marine Drive, south on 33^rd to Franklin, then east onto Franklin. At 36^th Street the vehicle turned north onto 36^th losing control, traveling over the curb, and striking a fire hydrant.
The driver was taken into custody and recognized by the officers as Kristina Scott, age 50 of Astoria. When asked what she was doing she said she was “racing.” Scott was lodged at the Clatsop County Jail on charges of Reckless Driving and Attempt to Elude. After review of the video and interviews of witnesses, it is possible additional charges will be added. The case will be sent to the Clatsop County District Attorney’s office.