Two fatal crashes mar the New Year in outer East Portland

Officials say an impaired driver killed a pedestrian on New Year’s Eve; and on New Year’s Day, a high-speed crash killed the driver of a speeding car …

One of the deadliest years for outer East Portland fatal vehicle crashes comes to a close with a pedestrian killed in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, and 12 hours later, the New Year notches up its first fatality where the Hazelwood, Mill Park, and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods converge.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The last fatal crash of 2020, and the first fatal vehicular smashup of 2021 both took place in outer East Portland – just 0.8 mile and 12 hours apart from one another – on the evening of December 31 and morning of January 1.

“There were 58 fatalities and 53 Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Traffic Division Major Crash Team callouts for the year of 2020,” PPB Public Information Officer Melissa Newhard confirmed for East Portland News.

December 31
Pedestrian killed by impaired driver in Powellhurst Gilbert

On New Year’s Eve, SE 122nd Avenue is closed while PPB Traffic Division Major Crash Team investigators look into the fatal accident that killed a pedestrian. PPB image

PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched on New Year’s Eve at 7:36 p.m. on a “pedestrian struck” call along SE 122nd Avenue near and Tibbetts Street.

“When officers and paramedics arrived, they located an unconscious person,” said PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen about this crash. “Paramedics attempted lifesaving measures, but the subject was [determined to be] deceased.”

That evening, the investigation showed that a car had fatally struck the victim, 51-year-old Catherine M. Randolph of Portland.

Investigators continue to look into this, the last fatal vehicular accident of 2020. PPB image

“Randolph was crossing the street westbound, outside of a crosswalk north of SE Tibbetts Street,” Allen reported. “Shortly before the crash, another car swerved to avoid striking Randolph.”

An investigation revealed that a 2002 Honda Accord, driven by 31-yea-old Scott A. Gay, had been southbound on SE 122nd Avenue when his vehicle struck Randolph, Allen reported.

“A PPB Traffic Division Drug Recognition Expert evaluated Gay and determined that he was impaired; he was cited for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants,” Allen said.

January 1
Speeding driver dies in single-vehicle crash on SE Division Street

Just 12 hours later, members of the PPB Traffic Division Crash Team are called out again to investigate a single-car crash on SE Division Street.

The next morning, PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched at 7:16 a.m. to a crash at SE Division Street and 112th Avenue – the intersection where the Hazelwood, Mill Park, and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods converge.

“When officers arrived with Portland Fire & Rescue and AMR paramedics, they located a single vehicle that impacted a pole, and found one occupant deceased,” Sergeant Allen said. “Another occupant was seriously injured – considered life-threatening – and was taken to the hospital by ambulance; and a third occupant had minor injuries and was treated on-scene.”

After evaluating data collected at the accident site, the following day Allen said that the vehicle’s driver, 19-year-old Daniel Martinez, had been killed in the crash.

“The vehicle was seen driving at a high rate of speed before it crashed into a pole; investigators do not believe any other vehicles were involved in the wreck,” Allen concluded about this, the first fatal crash of the year 2021.

Please drive carefully, and sober!

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