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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

News / Cops / Crime Limo Rage: Stretch Driver In Spat With Vespa

Posted by Matt Davis on Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 12:46 PM

A limo driver lashed out at a city employee riding a scooter last Thursday night, in a road rage incident on SW Taylor and Broadway.

The scooter rider, Mary Volm, happens to be the spokesperson for the city department that regulates taxis and towncars but ironically, not limousines (the city has not yet bowed to pressure to regulate so called "luxury" vehicles). Volm was driving her Vespa behind a 33-foot stretch SUV. Ronald Johnson, a former town car driver, was behind the wheel of the SUV limo at around 6:30pm.

Volm alleges Johnson was blocking the intersection and began reversing when the light turned red, so she shouted at him to stop. She alleges Johnson got out of his limo, began screaming at her, and pushed her Vespa nine feet forwards into the intersection, with her still on it. Then he got back in and started moving, but pinned Volm between the right rear side of the car and the oncoming traffic, Volm alleges.

"So I hit the side of his car with the flat of my hand," says Volm. "And that's when he really lost it. He got out of the vehicle and got out and he came after me, and hit me with both hands on my shoulders and pushed me down into the ground. And he stood over me with a fist telling me to get up or he's going to punch me in the nose."

The limo driver, Johnson, was arrested and cited by the police for menacing and harassment and booked at Central Precinct, but has yet to be formally charged by the District Attorney's office with a crime.

Witness Jackie Evans, from Ohio, told police she saw the limo backing up and it appeared to strike the scooter, according to the police report. She said Johnson got out of the car and was screaming, then, that he got back in and came out a second time and shoved Volm into the ground.

Johnson, meanwhile, denies Volm's version of events. He says he was trying to perform a citizen's arrest of Volm for taking a "leaping kick at the side of my vehicle," when Volm "just fell down in the street and started yelling and crying."

Johnson even sent the Mercury pictures of a circular dent in the side of his limo:

limodent.jpg

"The police just assumed I hit her," he says. "I was driving 100 percent safely and I plan to ask to have her charged with criminal mischief."

Volm says the dents in Johnson's limo are "fabricated," adding that Johnson was screaming and calling her a "cunt" and a "bitch" during the entire encounter.

"There's no way I can dent a vehicle, I'm a 54-year-old woman for God's sake," says Volm. "Now I'm on the defensive, and I'm the victim, and it's really made me angry."

 

Commenting was not available when this article was originally published.

Comments (35) RSS

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1
Um.. These words aren't doing it for me Davis - I need a visual.
Posted by Nick "muggins" Olmstead on July 15, 2008 at 1:40 PM · Report
2
This trend of differing modes of transport clashing is getting dumber and dumber. What next? A rickshaw and school bus? A boat from those Duck tours and a unicycle?
Posted by ArtsIntern on July 15, 2008 at 1:47 PM · Report
3
We can probably set something up in the parking lot.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 15, 2008 at 1:52 PM · Report
4
Dear Matt Davis,

Why did you make sure to point out that the witness is from Ohio? Do you think her Midwestern roots inform her character? What would you have done if she was from Tampa Bay?
Posted by s.mirk on July 15, 2008 at 1:53 PM · Report
5
Because Ohians [Ohions?] [Onions?!] are Mid-Western. This makes them reliable. If she had been from Miami, or perhaps, L.A, she would be less reliable. As a witness. Then, I may well have included the fact that they were from, say, Tampa Bay, to warn the reader to take their testimony with a grain of salt.

Thank you for your question. Next.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 15, 2008 at 1:57 PM · Report
6
HORSE SHIT! People from the midwest are NOT to be trusted. Trust me. I'm from the midwest.
Posted by Absolute Horse Shit Guy on July 15, 2008 at 2:05 PM · Report
7
Dear Matt,

I'm from Iowa and I'm a lier.

See... I even lied about that. Fuck Mid-western credability.

but please create a dramatic re-creation of this incident. Possilby using the Hulk action figure as the driver of the SUV. And the SUV should be the tank toy thing from the Thundercats. Such as this:http://thundercats.vpga.com/toys/thundertank_box_toy.jpg
Posted by Graham on July 15, 2008 at 2:09 PM · Report
8
We only dramatically recreate dramatic recreations. I'm waiting for Brian Barker to get on the case at KATU.
Posted by Matt Davis on July 15, 2008 at 2:11 PM · Report
9
I would pay to see a Duck tour vehicle versus a unicycle!

I think the only way to solve these issues is a good ol' fashioned demolition derby...
Posted by Freshmaker on July 15, 2008 at 2:12 PM · Report
10
Too bad Charles Lewis no longer owns the duck tours. He could host a derby as part of his city council campaign.
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on July 15, 2008 at 2:14 PM · Report
11
Riding mower vs. Aerial tram!!!!
Posted by alan cordle on July 15, 2008 at 2:18 PM · Report
12
Segway vs. stroller!
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on July 15, 2008 at 2:20 PM · Report
13
Fixie vs. Police Car
Posted by Freshmaker on July 15, 2008 at 2:22 PM · Report
14
Lark vs a "real" wheelchair!
Posted by Orf on July 15, 2008 at 2:24 PM · Report
15
Bernie Giusto driving the Governor's Wife vs. the Governor Driving a Teen!
Posted by alan cordle on July 15, 2008 at 2:25 PM · Report
16
Alan WINS!
Posted by Absolute Horse Shit Guy on July 15, 2008 at 2:26 PM · Report
17
I think it's time for a Mercury Road Rage issue, complete with how-to's, loads of "visuals", and maybe even maps of the best parts of town to engage in road ragery. Hell, go deep and throw in music, restaurant and movie reviews that support the theme. I'd buy that for a nickle.
Posted by Kentonite on July 15, 2008 at 2:30 PM · Report
18
Kayak vs. The Portland Spirit!

I call shenanigans on this, "There's no way I can dent a vehicle, I'm a 54-year-old woman for God's sake." I can think of plenty of ways that could be possible, and not all of them involve tall buildings.

I'm not taking sides here, but I bet she could dent a vehicle if she tried, these things are made of plastic.
Posted by tk. on July 15, 2008 at 3:01 PM · Report
19
Godzilla vs. Rodan!
Posted by martin on July 15, 2008 at 3:14 PM · Report
20
All this happening after the Clinton showed "Maximum Overdrive"....maybe the vehicles are getting us humans to kill ourselves so they can take over.

(Watch some of it with your eyes closed - Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, has some choice words when trapped in a wrecked car....)

I nominate bike rickshaw vs. Smart car.
Posted by LawyerPepper on July 15, 2008 at 4:10 PM · Report
21
Shriner on a mini-motor bike vs. a Clydesdale drawn coach.

My parade dreams would come true.
Posted by Nick "muggins" Olmstead on July 15, 2008 at 4:56 PM · Report
22
Actually, the woman from Ohio was one of four witnesses - and she took photos of the incident from her cell phone camera. All the witnesses said the same thing - just check the police report.

As for denting a vehicle, I know this woman - she's had hip replacement and kneecap surgery in the last 1-2 years, she can't run, "leap" or deal with drug-crazed, testostorne (little-dick) saturated, crazy people - nor can most of any of us.

The bottom line is civility. When did we lose touch with the fact that we live in community and we 'work' together to make everyone safe?

Portland used to be a place we cared about, a place where we took responsibility for our actions and worked together to ensure we all could share this special place. You all can't rant on about things that have little meaning but wait until you are the victum of someone who is raging and out of control. I hope you get four witnesses to stand up for you.
Posted by maya on July 15, 2008 at 9:27 PM · Report
23
Dragon Boat vs. Barge!

Oh wait, that's been done. Nevermind.
Posted by Rainfollower on July 15, 2008 at 9:28 PM · Report
24
victim
Posted by maya on July 15, 2008 at 9:30 PM · Report
25
I hate to say this but Mary Volm can be really bitchy.
Posted by MV = Bitch on July 16, 2008 at 1:53 AM · Report
26
Then why say anything? "I hate to say this but..." hiding behind an anonymous 'name" - I wonder how your passive-agressive remark can be preceived as anything but "bitchy." How are you contributing to the emotional health and safety of our community? I guess as long as you can hide behind a blog post and spew hate and trash others, well, why not? You don't have to be held accountable. and we wonder why there's so much conflict on our streets, in our cities, in the world.
Posted by RL on July 16, 2008 at 9:32 AM · Report
27
Can you call someone out for posting anonymously then post anonymously? I don't disagree with anything you wrote but yeah, that's Horse Shit.
Posted by Absolute Horse Shit Guy on July 16, 2008 at 9:43 AM · Report
28
Horse shit guy, it's the nature of blogs that is exactly my isue - it's one thing to put out your opinion anonymously - it's another to personally attack someone else by name and hide behind a fake name - that's horse shit - to steal your phrase.
Posted by RL on July 16, 2008 at 10:15 AM · Report
29
I guess if I had a recent hip replacement and kneecap surgery, a Vespa might not be my first choice as far as a stable, easily controlled mode of transportation. I ride an ET4, so I do have some idea what I speak of.

Oh yeah... Chinese pedestrian protester vs. Chinese Army Tank. There's your matchup !

Posted by Hoosier on July 16, 2008 at 8:32 PM · Report
30
The general public need to keep their hands off limousines
Posted by LimoList on July 17, 2008 at 7:11 AM · Report
31
Fuck that.
Posted by Limoarehaters on July 17, 2008 at 12:28 PM · Report
32
I was driving my trendy diesel Jetta with "My Other Car is a Bicycle" when a scary meth-head on a motorcycle told me to eat shit at an intersection yesterday, but I was in Gresham so the Oregonian wasn't interested.
Posted by Cameron on July 17, 2008 at 12:44 PM · Report
33
Sorry that's my "My Other Car is a Bicycle" bumper sticker, that's what I get for trying to be clever.
Posted by Cameron on July 17, 2008 at 12:47 PM · Report
34
For Limoarehaters, If you damage the car of a professional driver, expect immediate consequences. I don't support the language this chauffeur used but having driven for over eighteen years I can share that I had to dispatch idiots many times.
Posted by LimoList on July 18, 2008 at 3:23 PM · Report
35
I seriously doubt this is the first woman he's hit while calling them a bitch and a cunt.
Posted by Ruboe on July 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM · Report

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