A 74-year-old Beaverton man is in the hospital in critical condition after a hit-and-run crash Friday in Washington County’s Rock Creek neighborhood, where stunned neighbors and an on-scene nurse rushed in to help until medics arrived. Investigators say the driver who struck the cyclist never stopped and took off from the area.
According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, deputies reported that the collision happened at the intersection of NW West Union Road and NW Neakahnie Avenue. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a driver who allegedly hit the man, then fled south on NW Neakahnie Avenue, the outlet said. The case is filed under number 50-26-10430, and investigators have been knocking on doors and canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses.
What investigators say
Members of the county’s Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team told reporters they have zeroed in on a suspect vehicle, describing it as a gray 2011 to 2015 Ford Edge, and are actively looking for SUVs that match that description, The Oregonian reported. A nurse who happened to be nearby treated the victim at the scene until paramedics took over, and the man was then transported to a nearby hospital with critical injuries, officials said.
Detectives are urging anyone with dash-cam, doorbell or phone video from around the time of the crash to come forward, saying even a quick clip or partial view of a gray Ford Edge could help them piece together what happened.
Hit-and-run pattern on the westside
Hit-and-run crashes have been a recurring problem on the west side this year, with deputies working several similar cases that leaned heavily on public tips. In one February incident in Aloha, a man was hospitalized after a hit-and-run involving a pickup truck, and investigators later used video footage to identify a suspect vehicle, FOX 12 reported. Local law enforcement officials say neighborhood cameras and fast calls from residents often make or break these investigations.
How to help
Anyone with information about Friday’s Rock Creek crash is asked to call Washington County non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case 50-26-10430. Investigators are asking residents to look for fresh damage on gray Ford Edges, review any doorbell or dash-cam video from the area, and report even small or seemingly insignificant details.
Tips can also be submitted through the sheriff’s office website, and detectives say they are reviewing leads around the clock as they work to track down the driver.
