A registered sex offender from Portland who was arrested Wednesday afternoon is suspected of leading officers to a car crash after finding his cellphone during a search of his home, local media reported.
The man, identified as 43-year-old Travis Grigulla, pleaded guilty in 2008 to distributing child pornography, received a state conviction for encouraging sexual abuse of a child as an adult, and additional charges of child sexual abuse. He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual abuse and was on federal probation. He is underage as a juvenile; according to Go to Oregon Live. According to the report, Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at Grigula’s home Wednesday morning after receiving a tip that he was storing and sharing images of child pornography. (Related: Registered sex offender arrested for allegedly trying to kidnap child from school)
Grigula was arrested by investigators and placed in the passenger seat of an officer’s car without handcuffs, but about an hour into the investigation, the sex offender told a nearby police officer, “This isn’t going to work for me.” “I’m deaf,” he said. Affidavit obtained by Oregon Live. After investigators found a memory card and a black Samsung cell phone hidden inside Grigula’s home, the 43-year-old locked his car door and got into the driver’s seat.
Officials said Travis Grigula was in Homeland Security custody when he fled in the special agent’s vehicle.https://t.co/l7L53gkzze
— KOIN News (@KOINNews) April 25, 2024
Grigula then took off and led the agents on a car chase north on Interstate 205 from Southeast Division Street in Portland, where they attempted to stop Grigula’s car. , Oregon Live reported. The registered sex offender reached speeds of 115 to 190 mph while driving into Washington state.
Multiple agencies were involved in the pursuit, including Portland Police, Vancouver Police, Washington State Patrol, and Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Grigula’s stolen vehicle ended up overturning after officers rammed it at a freeway exit in Castle Rock, Washington. It ended with that. , according to the affidavit.
Following the pursuit, Grigula appeared in U.S. District Court in Portland on Thursday afternoon on charges of violating probation and possessing or accessing child pornography for the purpose of viewing, the report said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mila Chernick said in court that investigators found a memory card filled with images of child pornography inside Grigulla’s shoes in the agent’s stolen car. However, Peyton Lee, Gurira’s assistant federal public defender, entered pleas of not guilty to both the charges and the probation violation, Oregon Live reported.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo ordered Grigula to remain in custody pending trial.
