Motorcyclist injured in head-on crash in Powellhurst-Gilbert

INCLUDES AFTERMATH VIDEO | One look at this smashed Harley, and you’ll agree that the rider is lucky to be alive …

In the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, on the north shoulder of SE Powell Boulevard – just west of SE 145th Avenue — a tow truck driver photographs a smashed Harley-Davidson motorcycle before loading it on a flat-bed truck.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The lovely spring weather on Tuesday afternoon May 6 was perfect for riding a motorcycle in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood – but doing so took a tragic turn for

a Harley-Davidson rider on SE Powell Boulevard, when the rider – apparently nearly head-on – collided with a Subaru Outback PZEV SUV, at SE 145th Avenue.

The front wheel of the ill-dated motorcycle – still attached to its forks –landed some distance away from the bike itself.

Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers who were dispatched to this “Accident-with-Injury” at 5:35 p.m. found the rider down, and the motorcycle seriously damaged. In the crash, the front wheel and forks had been ripped off the cycle.

The front bumper of the Subaru had been ripped off too, and remained on the south side of SE Powell Boulevard. Yet, it remained drivable and had been moved out of the highway north onto SE 145th Avenue.

Front-end parts of the Subaru Outback SUV in the crash were moved away from the eastbound lane of SE Powell Boulevard.

Our conclusion that this was a near head-on collision was reached by looking at the evidence.

Here’s why: No witnesses were remaining at the scene to describe how the crash took place.

Watch, as wrecker operators pick up the pieces after this crash:

“Officers responded to this call and determined it was a crash involving a vehicle and a motorcycle,” confirmed PPB Public Information Manager Mike Benner when we enquired about it.

Another responding tow truck driver photo-documents the Subaru Outback PZEV SUV – which was missing much of its front end – before towing it away.

“The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital with what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries,” Benner added. “The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and cooperated; and, at this point, no citations have been issued, nor arrests made.”

However, the investigation has not yet been completed.

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