On Christmas Eve morning, police arrested a man they say drove his SUV through a Northeast Portland church on purpose.
Portland police responded to the church at 12:13 a.m. on the report of a vehicle crashing into it.
the Southeast Asian Vicariate Church of Our Lady of Lavang located at 5404 Northeast Alameda Street was severely damaged.
Police searched the area but did not locate a suspect or suspect vehicle, but officers did locate evidence that indicated the make and model of the crash vehicle.
Hieu John Phung, 35, called 911 to report he was the person responsible for plowing the car into the building.
Police went to the location and arrested the suspect without incident. motives for the incident were not revealed yet.
Dozens of volunteers gathered on Christmas Eve with hammers and 2-by-4s to repair the damaged church.
Phung was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on a first-degree criminal mischief charge.
