Milwaukie officer cleared in fatal shooting

MILWAUKIE, Ore. (AP) - A Clackamas County grand jury has cleared the Milwaukie police officer who fatally shot a man who had rammed a police car.

Officer Billy Wells has been on paid leave since the June 11 shooting that killed Travis Blake Utley.

The 38-year-old Lebanon man fled a traffic stop and was chased into a Portland neighborhood where the SUV was forced to pull over. Police say Utley rammed a patrol car and two officers fearing for their lives fired. An investigation showed Wells fired the fatal shot.

A Milwaukie police spokeswoman told The Oregonian (https://bit.ly/1qzTmAw) it remains unclear why Utley refused to stop. He had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for failing to appear in court - a relatively minor charge.

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Information from: The Oregonian, https://www.oregonlive.com