At about 7:10 this morning, a person on a bike was struck and seriously injured by someone driving a car on SE Division at 110th (in front of Bike Gallery). Following the collision, the person in the car fled and was later apprehended by police.
The Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team responded to the collision and eyewitnesses reported 8-10 patrol cars on the scene. The westbound lanes of Division were closed while an investigation was carried out. Traffic Division Lieutenant Bryan Parman confirmed for me a few minutes ago that, after an initial search with the K-9 unit to find the person driving the car was unsuccessful, they now have a suspect in custody and are questioning them for more details.
According to PPB spokesperson Mary Wheat, the person on the bike sustained serious head injuries, was transported to OHSU, and is “expected to survive the injuries.” One person who saw the crash said the bike was “broken into two pieces.”
I’m still awaiting more details as to how the collision occurred and who was involved, and I will update this story when I know more. If anyone saw how it happened, please get in touch.
UPDATE, 2:30pm: I just got off the phone with a man who saw the collision occur. Ken Clarke was headed westbound on Division in a pickup truck behind a silver PT Cruiser whose driver he says “drifted over” into the bike lane and hit the person on the bike. “I didn’t see any brake lights go on… and then he just took off.” Clarke says “it was no fault of the bicyclist”.
Clarke estimates the car was traveling around 35 mph. Clarke added that after he was hit, the man on the bike was thrown up onto the hood and “helicoptered around a few times in the air.” “I thought it was a fatality.”