INCLUDES CRASH INVESTIGATION VIDEOS | Find out how three people were seriously injured in these smashups in Centennial, Russell, and Lents neighborhoods …
Two wrecks, minutes apart during Friday evening, bring Portland Police officers out to investigate how pedestrians were injured after being struck by vehicles.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Astonishingly, from September 6 through 10, there were 26 “motor vehicle accidents” logged on the streets of outer East Portland neighborhoods.
Many of these crashes were “fender-benders”, in which vehicles were damaged – some too severely to be driven away – but no one was reported injured, in which case no citations were issued. Still, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct and North Precinct officers were called for each smashup.
“I don’t know if it’s the phase of the moon or what, but it’s been crazy with car wrecks here,” an officer remarked to East Portland News at one of the crash scene.
However, in three of these incidents, two pedestrians, and one bicyclist, were seriously injured. Those became subject to a police investigation.
September 6 | 8:37 p.m.
Centennial neighborhood crash leaves pedestrian seriously injured
During this investigation of a pedestrian vs. car incident, SE Division Street is closed between 157th and SE 160th Avenues.
On Friday evening, September 6th, PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched at 8:37 p.m. to an “Accident-Injury” on SE Division Street near 158th Avenue.
When officers got there, they found a pedestrian seriously injured.
The driver of the car that hit the pedestrian stands behind his vehicle, pulled off into a driveway, on the north side of SE Division Street.
Emergency medical services responded, and paramedics rushed the patient to a local hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.
Watch as this crash investigation unfolds:
As it became clear that crash injuries were truly life-threatening, more officers and investigators began arriving at the scene over the next hour.
Due to the severity of the injuries, the PPB’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team was called in to investigate. The involved driver stayed at the location and cooperated with the investigators – but officials aren’t saying yet whether the vehicle’s driver was cited.
The PPB’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team is called to this incident to investigate the incident.
If you have information about this incident, and haven’t yet communicated it to investigators, send it by email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, Attn: Traffic Investigations Unit, and reference Case No. 24-227788.
September 6 | 9:04 p.m.
Pedestrian struck in Russell neighborhood
-5 As seen from two blocks away, through a telephoto lens, officers discuss this crash with members of the PPB’s Major Crash Team – before releasing it to go to the previous crash on SE Division Street.
While East Precinct officers were investigating the “pedestrian struck” crash on SE Division Street, not long afterward at 9:04 p.m., North Precinct officers were dispatched to another pedestrian-involved crash – this one on NE Halsey Street near 137th Avenue – not far from the northeast corner of Glendoveer Golf Course.
An ambulance takes a seriously injured pedestrian from the scene of this crash on NE Halsey Street near 137th Avenue, near the border separating the Russell and Hazelwood neighborhoods.
Emergency medical responders were also called to this crash, at which officers found victim with serious injuries. “Preliminary indications are that the pedestrian is expected to survive,” is all a PPB official would say about the viuctim’s medical condition.
The involved driver did remain at the scene to be interviewed by officers. The information learned by officers must have been satisfactory, because the intersection, closed for about an hour, was soon reopened.
If you have information to contribute on this mishap, send it by email to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, Attn: Traffic Investigations Unit, and make reference to Case No. 24-227807.
September 10 | 8:26 p.m.
Pickup truck vs. bicyclist collision injures rider in Lents neighborhood
Officers look into this crash between a pickup truck and a bicyclist on westbound SE Foster Road.
In this accident on September 10, a bicycle rider came in contact with a pickup truck in the westbound lanes of SE Foster Road at 84th Avenue – which caused the biker to crash to the pavement.
East Precinct officers, dispatched at 8:26 p.m., found the downed rider injured, and called on emergency medical responders to respond.
This officer stands near the bicycle, left behind after the collision.
“The cyclist was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries,” PPB Public Information Manager Mike Benner confirmed to East Portland News the next day.
Along with the downed bike on the sidewalk were the personal belongings of the rider — including a pair of ear-covering headphones. It’s not known if the biker was wearing them over his ears at the time of the accident.
Watch, as officers wait on word from the hospital, regarding the severity of the injuries the bike rider suffered, and guard the scene:
Officers waited at the scene until they got word from the hospital regarding the condition of the patient. About 90 minutes after they arrived, officers learned that the patient was in stable medical condition.
So the PPB’s Major Crash Team did not respond to further investigate.
Until investigators arrive, officers keep an eye on the belongings of the bicyclist, left at the scene.
The driver stayed at the collision location and cooperated with the investigation. “However, the vehicle’s driver was cited for driving without insurance,” Benner reported.
Do you have information about this crash? If so, send it by email to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, Attn: Traffic Investigations Unit, and refer to Case No. 24-231787.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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