Portland Police Arrest Social Media Figure for Reckless Driving After His Own Hit-and-Run Report Backfires

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) arrested 33-year-old Oscar Burell, Jr, yesterday after he reported a hit and run. Police recognized him as the star of videos he had posted on social media of himself driving recklessly and took him to the county jail.

In late March, the public and news media reported Burell’s reckless driving exploits to police.

The videos showed him driving recklessly through the Portland Metropolitan area, including speeding, passing illegally, failing to maintain lanes, hanging out of the window of his moving truck, and driving through parks. As part of the PPB investigation, information about Burell was distributed to officers throughout the Bureau.

As they were responding to a report of a hit and run in the 3700 block of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard yesterday at 11:43 a.m., a Portland Police officer from Central Precinct recognized the name of the caller- Oscar Burell, Jr., who they were looking for regarding the videos. Burell was arrested after backup officers arrived.

The police investigation indicates that- during the hit-and-run, Burell was involved in a confrontation with another driver on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.

The other driver sideswiped him as he drove off while Burell stood in the roadway. The other driver has not yet been found, but Burell has not reported any injuries.

Police towed Burell’s 1994 GMC Sierra pickup as evidence, and Burell was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Reckless Driving (three counts), Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and Reckless Endangerment of Another Person.

The investigation into Burell’s driving is ongoing. The PPB Traffic Division asks anyone with first-hand information about crimes committed by Burell, including dashcam or other video evidence, to please e-mail [email protected] and reference case number 25-89041.

Police request that the public not send social media posts, website links, or secondhand information.