A late-night walk turned fatal in Portland's Wilkes neighborhood when a man was found dead in what police say appears to be a hit-and-run on a quiet cul-de-sac.
Officers were called around 11:12 p.m. Thursday to the 14900 block of Northeast Siskiyou Court, where they found a man who was pronounced dead at the scene. The involved driver had already taken off, leaving investigators to piece together what happened in the dark, residential stretch.
Police Seek Driver, Share Case Number
According to KPTV, officers say the crash was reported at about 11:12 p.m. on April 16 and that preliminary evidence indicates the victim was a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. The driver did not remain at the scene.
Police are asking anyone with information to email [email protected] and reference case number 26-109874. Northeast 148th Avenue was closed between Northeast Fremont Street and Northeast Siskiyou Court while investigators with the Major Crash Team documented the scene and collected evidence.
Major Crash Team Takes Over
Per a Portland Police Bureau press release, the Major Crash Team responds to fatal collisions to collect forensic evidence and reconstruct what happened, often shutting down nearby blocks while they work. The bureau urges witnesses to preserve any video and send it to the Traffic Investigations Unit through the same [email protected] email so detectives can follow up. That is the same contact point investigators highlighted after the Wilkes crash.
Hit-And-Run Cases Rarely Cracked
Portland police have long struggled to close hit-and-run cases. A KPTV Investigates analysis found that only about 1.5% of hit-and-run reports were solved in 2023, and officials have said the sheer volume of incidents forces detectives to pick and choose which leads get deeper follow-up.
That reality makes even small details, such as a partial plate number or a few seconds of doorbell footage, especially valuable to investigators trying to track down a fleeing driver. Detectives had not released the victim's name as of Friday morning and say the investigation remains active.
How Neighbors Can Help The Case
The Portland Police Bureau is asking nearby residents to check any doorbell cameras, security systems, or dashcams for footage from around the time of the crash and to preserve the original files. Footage can be handed to an officer or emailed to [email protected], attention Traffic Investigations Unit, referencing case 26-109874.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers. Anyone who saw or heard anything, even if it seems minor, is urged to contact investigators so they can build out the timeline of the deadly hit-and-run.
