Man fleeing from police drives pickup truck off Oregon pier
ASTORIA, Ore. -- A suspected boat prowler fleeing from police drove his pickup off an Oregon pier and into the Columbia River. CBS News affiliate KOIN-TV reports 27-year-old Timofey Erofeeff, of Scotts Mill, swam a couple of hundred feet into the frigid river before deciding to swim back Wednesday.
Fishermen on a nearby boat helped rescue him. The Coast Guard later pulled his truck out of the river.
He was treated for hypothermia and later booked into the Clatsop County Jail on felony charges of burglary and attempting to elude police, as well as several misdemeanors.
Erofeeff pleaded not guilty to all charges on Thursday, according to KOIN-TV. His attorney says he suffers from mental health or drug issues. Bail was set at $75,000.
In a court filing, the arresting officer from the Astoria Police Department estimated that Erofeeff was driving 45 mph when the pickup launched off the pier.
A gasoline slick could be seen on the surface of the water.
