Portland streets witnessed two severe car collisions in the early hours of Sunday, shocking the northeast community with accidents that officials say involved impaired drivers. The first incident occurred at Northeast Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Northeast Prescott Street. Police found a three-vehicle collision, with the driver of a 2019 Mercedes-Benz having left the scene without attending to injured individuals or exchanging information, a requirement under the law.
According to the Portland Police Bureau's report, the juvenile male was later brought back by his father to face the consequences. The 17-year-old has been charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants-Alcohol, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver with Injury. He has been referred to the Juvenile Division of the Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Following closely behind, at 1:58 a.m., another crash was reported. This involved a Toyota Tacoma that had struck a tree near Northeast Airport Way at Northeast Mason Street. The driver, who was the sole occupant and critically injured at the scene, was ejected from the truck during the crash. He was transported to the hospital, where officers have since learned from medical providers that the patient's injuries are expected to be survivable, though they were originally believed to be life-threatening.
The Portland Police Traffic Division Major Crash Team took over the investigation, stating that speed and alcohol impairment are believed to have been the contributing factors in this second accident. As they continue to delve into both cases, seeking to fully understand the chain of events, the bureau requests anyone with information to reach out and email [email protected], referencing the case numbers 25-215563 and 25-215655.
