Homeless man killed while crossing Division Street

See why it took officials some time to identify the victim – and why it appears that this tragic accident may not have been a crime. There is a lesson to be learned for all drivers here …

A Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division officer takes measurements using a “Total Station” that can be used to reconstruct the accident.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Apparently, 62-year-old Brian Francis Kenny didn’t have identification on him when he crossed SE Division Street at SE 142nd Avenue on the evening of April 12, at about 7:30 p.m.

So, when Kenny was struck by a car and killed – perhaps walking against the traffic light, and unseen by a driver blinded by the setting sun – officials weren’t able to identify him until after his autopsy.

The PPB Major Crash Team investigates the accident.

“The driver that struck the man, also an adult male, remained at the scene and has cooperated with investigators,” said Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Public Information Officer Sgt. Pete Simpson.

“Kenny has no known address,” Simpson added.

No arrests or citations have been issued by investigators, and the case – when it is complete – will be forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for consideration.

Take a tip from a PPB Traffic Division Sergeant: “If you can’t see clearly ahead through an intersection, for any reason, start rolling slowly — don’t hit the gas. Even if you are not at fault, killing a pedestrian will forever change your life — and not for the better.

SE Division Street is shut down well into the evening hours, investigators gather evidence related to this tragic fatal pedestrian accident.

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