(Photos: PPB)
Portland Police are offering a $1,000 reward to help them find a pickup truck that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run on Saturday night.
The driver of the truck struck 26-year old Jason Grant from Vancouver as he attempted to walk across SE Foster Road near 70th (he wasn’t in a marked crosswalk). Grant died of his injuries in the hospital later that evening. The driver of a green pickup was eastbound on Foster and fled the scene after the collision.
Now the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) are asking people who bike around the city to help them find the suspect vehicle.
The collision took place just before 7:00 pm on Saturday. Based on witnesses and evidence, investigators are looking for a dark green, 1997-2000 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with front end damage (see photo).
PPB Sgt. Todd Davis got in touch with us this morning. “If it’s parked somewhere,” he said, “a bicyclist might be more apt to see it than someone driving by in a car.”
If you have seen this vehicle, leave a tip online at CrimeStoppersofOregon.com, text CRIMES (274637) and in the subject line put 823HELP, followed by your tip, or call 503-823-HELP (4357) and leave your tip information. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact PPB Officer Erik Koppang via email, Erik.Koppang@PortlandOregon.gov.
UPDATE, 7:00pm on 2/2: Good news. Thanks to widespread coverage, the police have made an arrest in the case. 58 year old Jim Patterson was booked in jail today on two counts of felony hit and run. Because there was a death, those are Class B felonies. Here’s the official PPB statement:
On Thursday, February 2, 2012 53-year-old Jim Dean Patterson contacted an East Precinct officer at the Eastport Plaza Police contact office. Patterson turned himself in as the driver that committed the crime of Hit and Run of the pedestrian at Southeast 70th and Foster.
The officer called for Traffic Investigators, and they responded to Eastport Plaza. Coincidentally, investigators were on their way to Patterson’s home as they were following up on a Crimestoppers tip.
Patterson was arrested by Traffic Division investigators and he was lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center on two counts of Aggravated Vehicle Homicide. He is being held on 500,000 bail. A green 2000 Toyota Tacoma pickup has been recovered from Patterson‚s garage. The truck had damage consistent with this collision.
The Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division extends its thanks to the media for the extensive coverage on this incident and thanks the public for all the tips that were called in. Ultimately Patterson saw the coverage on TV which factored into his turning himself in.