It wasn't until Mary Elizabeth Lanning woke up, hung over and in jail, that she learned she had intentionally crashed into two Lake Oswego police cars during a drunken rampage.
A Lake Oswego police officer saw Lanning, who appeared to be drunk, leave the Gemini Bar and Grill in downtown Lake Oswego around 12:45 a.m. on Feb. 24. After she got into her Jeep Cherokee, the officer tried to convince Lanning to call someone else to drive.
She told the officer she was texting a friend to get a ride. Then she backed into the cop car and drove away.
Lanning, 40, led police on a low-speed chase, driving on the wrong side of the road at one point, said Clackamas County prosecutor Bryan Censoni.
Police used a pursuit tactic, known
as a PIT maneuver, to box Lanning in. She then rammed their cars, Censoni said.
Officers used pepper spray to subdue Lanning, who refused to leave her car and declined a breath test.
"Ms. Lanning was far beyond intoxicated that night," said her attorney, Emily Oberdorfer. "She didn't know what she was doing."
Oberdorfer said Lanning awoke in jail with no recollection of what she had done. A friend from high school who worked at the jail filled in the blanks.
Lanning was sentenced to 14 days in jail and two years probation on Thursday. She pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants, attempting to elude a police officer and recklessly endangering another person. Other charges were dropped as part of a plea deal.
She also must pay Lake Oswego nearly $4,500 for damages,
Lanning did not address the court. She acknowledged she had an alcohol problem and sought treatment immediately after the incident, Oberdorfer said.
"Whether or not you recall it, it happened and you're responsible for it," said Clackamas County Circuit Judge Kathie Steele.
-- Steve Mayes