A 71-year-old pedestrian has died after being hit by a vehicle late Wednesday night in Portland's Lents neighborhood. East Precinct officers responded around 11:30 p.m. to a reported crash in the 5500 block of Southeast 92nd Avenue. The victim, identified as Ronnie J. Jessie of Clackamas, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the driver stayed at the scene, cooperated with investigators, and showed no signs of impairment. No citations or charges are pending at this time. The collision is being investigated under case number 26-161670, and investigators are asking anyone with information who has not yet spoken with police to submit a tip via the Portland Police Bureau.
Where It Happened and Safety Work in Lents
The crash took place on Southeast 92nd Avenue, a busy outer east Portland corridor running through the Lents neighborhood. The Portland Bureau of Transportation has identified this stretch for upgrades tied to the SE Foster-Woodstock Couplet project. City planners and safety advocates say projects like that, combined with lower posted speeds and safer crossings, are part of a broader Vision Zero effort to cut down on deadly crashes on high-injury streets. For details on the local project, see the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Investigation Ongoing
Investigators are still processing evidence from the scene and say they will release more information when it is available. Police are particularly interested in hearing from anyone with dashcam or doorbell video from the 5500 block of Southeast 92nd Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday who has not yet spoken with detectives and ask that it be shared through the bureau's tip form.
City officials and safety advocates frequently highlight street design and speed as key factors in fatal pedestrian crashes. Guidance from the Federal Highway Administration notes that a pedestrian struck at 20 mph is far more likely to survive than one hit at 40 mph. For more on Portland's planning and safety work, see Portland Bureau of Transportation Vision Zero.
