Garbage truck runs over a motorcyclist

East Portland News exclusive: In the Lents neighborhood, witnesses say a garbage truck driver failed to heed a stop sign before running down the motorcycle rider in an outer East Portland crash …

After a motorcycle rider ends up under a garbage truck at this Lents neighborhood intersection, the street is quickly filled with emergency first responders.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Emergency first responders were likely surprised that a motorcycle rider hadn’t been crushed to death under a Waste Management garbage truck, at SE 103rd Avenue and Knight Street. The accident was dispatched at 1:20 p.m. on April 29.

“It’s a beautiful day to be out in my yard,” said a Lents neighbor who asked not to be identified. “The garbage truck was going fairly slowly [eastbound] down [Knight] Street as it came up to the intersection; and it looked to me like the driver was looking down at something, and not at the road.”

Paramedics scramble to stabilize the motorcycle rider, who was trapped underneath the Waste Management garbage truck.

She, and Fred – another neighbor who saw the crash from down SE 103^rd Avenue – agreed that the garbage truck driver did not heed the stop sign before entering the intersection, and ran over the motorcycle rider.

The motorcyclist was southbound on SE 103^rd Avenue, and slowed for the intersection, but didn’t have a stop sign,” Fred told East Portland News. “When I saw the cab of the garbage truck pop up, I knew right then, that the biker got run over, and I came a-runnin’, to see if I could help.

“I see this rider out all the time – the bike may be his main transportation – he always rides slowly and carefully in our neighborhood,” Fred said.

Because the rider is caught under the truck, paramedics work in the confined space to move the victim out to safety.

The Engine Company with Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) Powell Station #29 arrived first, followed by other rigs – including the downtown-based Heavy Rescue 1, should the garbage truck need to be lifted off the victim.

Working quickly and carefully, the paramedics were able to untangle the rider from the motorcycle when they found his kickstand had impaled one of the man’s legs.

Successfully slid out from under the truck, the victim is taken on a gurney to the waiting ambulance.

“The motorcyclist was transported to an area hospital for non life-threatening injuries; there is no update available to me on his condition,” reported Portland Police Bureau Public Information Officer Lt. Tina Jones.

There weren’t any traffic citations issued at the scene, Jones said. However, this accident does remain under investigation by the Bureau’s Traffic Division, and may be issued when the inquiry is complete.

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