A section of NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was closed for hours as authorities investigated a tragic multi-vehicle crash that left one pedestrian deceased and several others injured, including the driver at the center of the incident. According to an update from the Portland Police Bureau, the chaos unfolded when a silver Ford Escape SUV veered onto the sidewalk, striking two pedestrians before spiraling into a series of collisions with multiple vehicles.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene, where a preteen boy narrowly avoided injury as the Ford Escape driver struggled to maintain control of the vehicle. It's reported to have sideswiped a Hyundai SUV and collided head-on with two southbound vehicles, ultimately coming to a stop after the series of impacts. Despite the efforts to quickly provide aid, one adult male pedestrian died at the scene, while the other was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Hyundai sought medical assistance, and the drivers of the Ford Escape as well as the Buick sedan were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Toyota pickup was unharmed and did not require hospitalization.
The Portland Police have stated that initial findings do not to suggest the incidents were intentional. The Ford Escape driver, notably having two prosthetic legs, was among the injured, and it remains unclear how or if this detail played a role in the crash. The ongoing investigation will endeavor to unravel the sequence of events and determine the causes behind this tragic disruption. A representative from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office is involved in the investigation, which remains active with neither arrests made nor citations issued at the time.
Authorities are calling on the community for assistance. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the police. "If anyone has information about this incident and has not spoken to police, please e-mail [email protected] attn: TIU and reference case number 25-212760," remarked an official statement from the police. As the TIU continues to examine the evidence and reconstruct the incident, the roads have been cleared for reopening.
