November 9, 2023
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced today that a Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge sentenced Silvano Daniel Velasquez, 28, to 15 years in prison for the vehicular homicide of Charles J. Patton, 43, and the assault of a bystander in early 2021
Incident
On January 28, 2021, Portland Police Bureau officers responded to a traffic crash and shooting in the area of North Vancouver Avenue and Columbia Boulevard. Through an investigation, officers identified Silvano Velasquez as the suspect. They learned that, as Velasquez drove into oncoming traffic to pass other vehicles, he crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by Charles Patton who suffered catastrophic life-threatening injuries and died at the hospital. The crash also forced a collision into a third vehicle resulting in damage but no injuries.
After the crash, Velasquez tried to run away. When bystanders tried to stop him, he shot an adult male bystander in the arm. Velasquez and a female accomplice then ran off and were not immediately located.
The case was presented to a grand jury, who returned a true bill of indictment for multiple charges on February 9, 2021. At that time a warrant was issued for Velasquez’s arrest. He was arrested on May 17, 2021, and arraigned on the charges that same day.
Plea and Sentencing
Deputy District Attorney Ben Lull represented the state in this case. As part of a plea agreement negotiated with the defendant and his counsel, Velasquez pled guilty yesterday to one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, one count of Assault in the First Degree with a Firearm, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm. Judge Heidi Moawad accepted the plea and imposed the 15-year prison sentence yesterday.
Velasquez is currently in custody in Multnomah County and will be transported to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.
The DA’s Office thanks the PPB detectives and officers who assisted with this case.
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