Old pickup fails to keep on truckin’ after tackling tree

Find out why this motorist, experiencing a sudden mechanical failure, chose to drive right into a tree in Lents …

When his brakes failed, the driver of this truck said he’d take his chances driving through empty Lents Park ,instead of smacking into the cars stopped in front of him.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Motorists traveling by Lents Park on SE 92^nd Avenue looked quizzically at a bandaged man – who was staring at an old Chevy S-10 truck that had run into a tree near the south end of the park.

“That’s what I get for driving an old truck,” ruefully remarked Mark, the driver. “I lost my brakes.

He added, “All the cars in front of me on 92^nd were stopping; I sure didn’t want to hit anyone. There wasn’t anyone on the sidewalk, so I drove into the park.”

The driver of the wrecked pickup talks with a District Officer who is writing the report on the crash.

He’d hoped to snake between the trees and coast to a stop, Mark went on. However, his route was blocked by a substantial tree. “It could have been worse. I could have gone over the edge [of the embankment on the south end of the park.]

A Portland Police Bureau district officer at the scene agreed that the accident was likely due to mechanical failure.

The noble victim – who thought more of avoiding other cars in his path than his own safety – was treated at the scene by paramedics on Portland Fire & Rescue’s Engine 11. The future of the truck seemed to be in doubt.

Mike talks with a friend who stopped to assist him after the accident.

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