Here are the stories about these outer East Portland smashups, a relatively minor injury wreck in the Gateway District, the other a major collision in the Wilkes neighborhood …
The first of the two crashes in outer East Portland, six hours apart, is on August 9, on a driveway from Mall 205 to SE Washington Street.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The frequency of “hit-and-run” crashes have become so great in outer East Portland neighborhoods that it’s difficult to track their high numbers.
However, there were two particularly significant crashes this past weekend on our neighborhood streets.
August 9
Car hits bike exiting Mall 205
Paramedics help those knocked off their bicycle in the Hazelwood neighborhood – at an exit from Mall 205.
Most people traveling in the Gateway area were in vehicles, equipped with air conditioning, on early Saturday evening August 9.
The exception was a bicyclist, perhaps with a child riding on the back, that witnesses said was westbound on the sidewalk in the 9800 block of SE Washington Street – the eastbound couplet – when it was struck by a Subaru Legacy 25GT sedan.
Paramedics tend to the injured bikers just after the crash took place.
“It looked like the driver was focusing attention on traffic coming from the west, and didn’t see the bicycle riding against traffic, on the sidewalk,” a witness told East Portland News.
Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers were dispatched to this “Injury Accident” at 6:38 p.m. – as were Portland Fire & Rescue Station 19’s Engine and Rescue Company rigs. Soon, their paramedics were joined by an AMR ambulance crew.
It was alarming to see a firefighter carrying what appeared to be a young female in his arms, taking her into the ambulance.
Police officers come to investigate this crash.
“Officers who responded to this call determined that a bike was clipped by a vehicle that was pulling out of a parking lot,” is how PPB Public Information Manager Mike Benner responded to our request for more information.
“The cyclist[s were] transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” Benner added.
If you have information about this incident, and haven’t yet spoken with police, please e-mail what you know about it to: crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov – Attn: Traffic Division, and refer to Case No. 25-215260
August 10
Speeding drunk driver seriously injured in NE Airport Way smashup
NE Airport Way is closed off at Mason Street, deep in the Wilkes neighborhood, as officers investigate a single-truck crash.
On August 10 PPB North Precinct officers were dispatched on another “Injury Accident” at 1:58 a.m., reported in the big “S-curve” where NE Airport Way crosses Mason Street, in the Wilkes neighborhood.
Arriving officers found a single-vehicle collision in which a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck struck a roadside tree with such velocity that its front end was wrapped around the tree.
The damage to this truck, from which the driver was violently thrown, it’s amazing that the man is still alive.
“The driver and sole occupant was ejected from the truck during the crash,” PPB PIM Benner revealed. “He was critically injured and transported to the hospital by ambulance with injuries that were believed to be life threatening – but survivable.”
The PPB’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team was called out to investigate. Speed and alcohol impairment are believed to be factors in this crash. The crash is still under investigation, so if you have information to contribute, e-mail it to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov – attn: Traffic Division – and refer to case number 25-215655.
This crash investigation is still active; but the PPB photo makes what happened quite clear.
“The Traffic Division works in partnership with the Bureau of Transportation on making streets safer for all users,” Benner reminded. “You can help by doing your part to obey all traffic laws, whether you are in a vehicle, on foot, bike or scooter; to learn more, visit the Vision Zero website.”
© 2025 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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