Portland man who shot at 3 officers in 2021 receives 25-year sentence

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday after a December 2021 police chase ended in gunfire.

The incident began in the Lents neighborhood on Dec. 11, 2021 with Joshua William Degerness fleeing from the police after an attempted traffic stop. Police used a Pursuit Intervention Technique, and Degerness crashed into a nearby tree. He was uncooperative with demands from officers and proceeded to fire at least two shots at officers from inside his car. The police officers sustained no injuries, and shot Degerness nonfatally.

Degerness was indicted by a grand jury in 2021. He was convicted last month and was sentenced Tuesday by Multnomah County Circuit Judge Jenna Plank. In addition to his three first-degree murder charges, he was also charged with attempted assault, unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a firearm and felony attempt to allude.

Bob Day, Portland Police Chief, expressed satisfaction at seeing Degerness brought to justice.

“Today’s sentencing brings closure to a dangerous incident in which an individual eluded police and then fired at PPB members, putting their lives and the community at risk,” Day said.