Driver armed with Nerf crossbow chases teen girls, threatens officers, Oregon cops say

Four teenage girls called 911 after they realized a man was following them in their car late Monday night in Eugene, Oregon, according to police.

That chase ended with the suspect threatening officers with multiple weapons, including a Nerf crossbow, the Eugene Police Department said in a news release.

Multiple people called the police after seeing the suspect’s reckless driving, according to the release. Officers found the teens, two 17-year-olds and two 14-year-olds, being chased by Ronald Goertzen, 34, of Little Falls Creek and tried to pull him over, but Goertzen did not comply, the agency said.

The teens told police they feared the suspect would ram their car and police gave them instructions on where to drive, according to the release. Police in Springfield took over the pursuit after the suspect left Eugene city limits, the agency said.

The suspect stopped and “rammed” a Eugene police patrol car and a Springfield patrol car before driving through a chain link fence at an auto shop, according to police. After the suspect was stopped, he threatened officers with a tire iron, small ax and a Nerf crossbow, police said.

Officers used a stun gun, but it didn’t seem to affect him, according to the agency. Eventually the suspect surrendered after negotiations with a Springfield police officer, the release said.

Goertzen was charged with multiple traffic violations and menacing, assaulting a public safety officer, eluding, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree disorderly conduct, according to police.