Driver causes Woodstock wreck, flees on foot

The police aren’t sure whether or not to charge the poor driver with “hit & run” since he walked away from the scene ‚Äì after giving his cell phone to the driver of the SUV he hit ‚Ķ

Cops try to sort out what happed in this violent smash-up on SE Woodstock Blvd.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
During the mid-January snowstorm, we saw a number of accidents caused by drivers traveling faster than was safe for the slick conditions. Other wrecks were caused by speeding, running traffic signals or inattention.

The cause of this wreck left the police – and victim – scratching their heads. And, what happened afterward puzzled them even more.

On January 23, the driver of a Ford Bronco told us, “I was driving east on Woodstock, going the speed limit. Near the corner of SE 62nd Ave., I noticed a white car was going west. He turned south [on SE 62nd Ave.], right in front of me. Just like that ‚Äì just like I wasn’t even there.”

We’d noticed that the collision air bags had deployed in the small white car, which was now missing most of its front end, parked on the tree lawn across the street.

The headlight is still shining, on the vehicle whose driver was said to have caused the accident – and then walked away from the scene.

“What happened to him?” we asked the victim as she examined her vehicle’s flattened tire and crumpled fender.

“It was the strangest thing,” she replied. “A guy got out of the car. It looked like he had some kind of [colostomy] bag that had ruptured or was leaking.” The man told her he’d be right back, and needed to find a gas station. He headed west on Woodstock Blvd. “But, he left his cell phone with me,” she added.

Both vehicles were too damaged to drive and were towed from the scene.  The victim said she wasn’t injured, but did wonder about the condition of the man, last seen dribbling westward on foot.

Police on scene said they couldn’t comment on whether or not charges would be filed until they’d made contact with the absent driver.

© 2007 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News Service