A man who chased and chased the TriMet worker was sentenced to 18 months in prison

A 51-year-old man who chased a black TriMet supervisor at a Southwest Portland transit station last year and chased and yelled at racist insults has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for committing a partisan crime.

Mike Schmidt, District Attorney in Multnomah County, announced the sentencing of Thomas DeLong on Sunday. DeLong pleaded guilty to one charge of prejudicial crime, one count of threatening conduct and one count of second-degree disorderly conduct as a result of the sensational 2020 incident.

DeLong initially pleaded not guilty to charges. He told court officials at the time that he “drank a little too much” and “did not intend to commit a crime”, according to court documents. According to early reports of the incident, DeLong missed a bus and then the supervisor started rushing onto the property.

According to the district attorney’s officer, the TriMet employee heard a TriMet driver calling for help, and the driver specifically left the Barbur Transit Station to avoid DeLong.

DeLong was seen hitting the side of the bus. When he noticed the TriMet supervisor, he started screaming and ran towards the man as he ‘clasped both hands in fists’ and’ swung in a circular manner while chasing the TriMet worker.

DeLong shouts racist insults as he chases the man, who was eventually able to escape from DeLong in a TriMet vehicle until police arrive.

In addition to the 18-month prison sentence, DeLong is also being put on probation for five years and has been banned from entering TriMet property. He was also banned from interacting with the TriMet employee and was ordered to undergo a drug and alcohol mental health evaluation.

– Andrew Theen; [email protected]; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen