Accident on Division Street claims second pedestrian victim this year

INFORMATION UPDATED: about this accident that killed one elderly pedestrian, and injured another. See what we learned at the scene …

Police shut down SE Division Street east of SE 82^nd Avenue as they investigate a deadly truck vs. pedestrian accident.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Unlike when a pedestrian was struck and killed on outer SE Division Street on the dark rainy night of January 30, this latest collision of car and pedestrian on Division occurred with the sun out, in the middle of the day.

Just before 11:30 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, February 14, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers, followed closely by Portland Fire & Rescue paramedics, rushed to SE 84th Avenue and Division Street on a report of two pedestrians run down by a vehicle.

The PPB Major Crash Team arrives at the location.

Arriving officers found two elderly pedestrians lying on the pavement.

While paramedics tended to the victims, police shut down traffic on the thoroughfare – which stayed closed for nearly three hours, until after the investigation was completed.

“It looked like the guy driving the truck was trying to turn left on SE Division Street,” said a woman, who wished not to be identified, to East Portland News. “I think he was looking the other way [westbound] for coming cars and didn’t even see the couple walking across the street.”

Later that afternoon, PPB Public Information Officer Sgt. Pete Simpson revealed, “Traffic Division Investigators learned that an 80-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman, husband and wife, were crossing SE Division Street, from north to south [at a corner] in an unmarked crosswalk.”

Simpson confirmed what witnesses told East Portland News at the scene: “A 2014 GMC pick-up truck was making a left turn, eastbound, from SE 84th Avenue onto Division Street, when he struck both pedestrians near the center turn lane.”

PPB Traffic Division officers continue to investigate evidence at the scene.

The 78-year-old woman died at the scene, Simpson said, and her 80-year-old husband was transported to OHSU for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

“The 38-year-old male driver remained at the scene, and cooperated fully with the investigation. Impairment by drugs or alcohol is not suspected to be a factor in this crash.” Simpson added.

UPDATE:
Simpson later identified the deceased as as 78-year-old Yan Huang. Her husband, 80-year-old Zhi Hu, is continuing to recover from injuries.

“The driver, Jarred Holt, cooperated with the investigation,” Simpson updated. “There has not been an arrest or any citations issued. Once the investigation is complete it will be forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for review.”

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