An elderly woman was arrested Wednesday after driving through the blocked Junior Rose Festival Parade route and nearly hitting parade-goers a half hour before the event was to begin, police said.

About 12:30 p.m., 81-year-old Janet Gasser drove a Honda eastbound through the barricade at Northeast 42nd Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard, said Sgt. Brian Schmautz, spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau.

"An officer at the barricade tried to stop Gasser and had to dive out of the way to avoid being hit by her car. Hoping to stop her, the officer hit the windshield of Gasser's car with his baton as she went by. Gasser continued... along the parade route ...As she did so, she narrowly missed several families, children and an ice cream salesperson walking on the closed roadway," Schmautz said.

Officers were finally able to stop the car at Northeast 52nd Avenue. She had been driving about 30 miles per hour.

"Gasser was extremely angry and stated that she was upset the road was closed for the parade," Schmautz said.

Police photo

Janet Gasser

She was charged with one count of Reckless Driving and one count of Reckless Endangering.

Gasser's car, a 4-door sedan, appeared to be damaged, with a broken windshield the most visible mark. Police believe she may have been involved in an unreported hit-and-run just prior to running through the barricade. Officers were looking for a vehicle that may have been hit by her car.

The Junior Rose Festival Parade began after 1 p.m., with thousands of children marching through the Hollywood District.