(Photo © J. Maus)
The notorious intersection of NE Couch and Grand has claimed another victim.
26-year old Laura Stanger was riding to work at 7:45 am Wednesday morning. She had a green light and was headed across Grand in the green-colored bike lane when a car directly adjacent to her suddenly — and without using a turn signal (according to Stanger) — turned right onto Grand.
The person driving the car slowed down, but then sped away. “This person obviously knew they hit me and left the scene,” says Stanger.
“It was a sudden right-hand turn directly in front of me, leaving me no time to react or brake,” recalls Stanger. “I struck the passenger-side of the vehicle and slid down the side of the car to the ground, breaking my elbow in the process.”
(Photo courtesy Laura Stanger)
Stanger, nor the several local business owners who saw the crash, were able to remember the make and model of the vehicle or the license plate number. She has been in touch with the police but says, “they have told me it’s basically a dead-end so I am taking matters into my own hands and turning to our community.”
Stanger hopes someone reading BikePortland saw the crash and can share information about the vehicle.
The only thing that is known about the vehicle is that it’s a black, newer mid-size SUV or minivan. Stanger is “fairly certain” that the impact of her body left a dent in the rear passenger side panel. The car headed north on Grand. Stanger shared the photos below of what the vehicle looked like…
“I have hospital bills to pay,” wrote Stanger via email, “and a sense of justice that must be sated.”
If you have an information about this collision, please get in touch.
UPDATE, 8/8: I heard back from the Police Bureau about this incident. Sgt. Todd Davis, who handles all the hit-and-run cases at the PPB, says this case will be very tough to solve because there are conflicting reports as to the make/model of the vehicle and no one was able to get a license plate or description of the driver. Sgt. Davis said they have begun an investigation and will try to locate video from a nearby business. “Absent that,” wrote Sgt. Davis via email, “it’s going to take someone coming forward with information or locating a witness that hasn’t yet been interviewed.”