Three crashes, two fatal, on outer East Portland streets

Here’s what’s been revealed about two deadly crashes, two days apart, on the border of Powellhurst-Gilbert and Hazewood – and a serious injury crash in Montavilla …

Three nights in a row, vehicle crashes were maiming and killing people in outer East Portland.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Streets proved hazardous for vehicular travel Thanksgiving Week, as crashes on November 22, 23 and 24 resulted in deaths and serious injuries.

November 22
Fatal two-car crash on SE Division Street

Under what specific conditions these vehicles collided hasn’t yet been revealed.

A fatal motor vehicle crash on Sunday evening, November 22, closed SE Division Street, just east of 136th Avenue – where the road is the dividing line between the Powellhurst-Gilbert and Hazelwood neighborhoods.

Portland Police Bureau (PPB), Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R), and the paramedics riding the six ambulances that were dispatched at 8:07 p.m. found two badly damaged vehicles – one of them a Honda; the other make was hard to make out after the violent crash.

Using their FARO Technologies crash documentation device, officers begin to take measurements.

“Officers and paramedics found that the occupants of the two cars had severe injuries; the patients were transported to the hospital by ambulance,” said PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen about the incident. “Officers later learned that, despite lifesaving efforts of medical professionals, one of the occupants had died at the scene.”

Into the night, investigators look into this deadly crash.

The PPB Traffic Division Major Crash Team arrived and began investigating the smashup, closing SE Division Street for much of the evening.

“Judging from the damage, this looks like this was a high-speed collision,” observed an officer at the scene.

This crash is still under investigation, Allen said.

November 23
Car hits utility pole in Montavilla

It remains to be discovered how, and why, this Honda smashed into a utility pole along NE 82nd Avenue of Roses. PPB provided image

Into the start of the morning rush hour on Monday, November 23, NE 82nd Avenue of Roses was suddenly closed to traffic at Glisan Street.

Emergency first responders were dispatched to a reported wreck at 5:43 a.m. that morning; they found a badly damaged Honda sedan. The vehicle was oddly bent in the middle, with the front and back of the vehicle turned toward the passenger side.

“The car hit a power pole; the driver is in the hospital,” a PPB official said, deftly summarizing the situation. Police are still trying to figure out that one-car crash, but from the way the car was bent they are guessing it was speeding and skidded obliquely into the pole.

November 24
Stark Street crash proves fatal

After another fatal crash, this one on the border between the Mill Park and Hazelwood neighborhoods, officers close SE Stark Street to begin their investigation.

Another fatal crash closed SE Stark Street near 127th Avenue on Tuesday evening, November 24. Emergency first responders were dispatched at 10:41 p.m.

“When officers and paramedics arrived, they found occupants of two cars with severe injuries; two patients were transported to an area hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries,” reported PPB Public Information Officer Derek Carmon. “One person was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

SE Stark Street is closed while members of the PPB Major Crash Team try to determine how the smashup happened. Courtesy of KOIN-6 News

For hours, members of the PPB Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team investigated and documented the crash.

“This crash remains under investigation,” Carmon reported.

© 2020 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News ™

 

 

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