(Photo courtesy Jason Lee.)
The Portland Police have issued a citation to 39-year-old Christopher Amundson for his role in a collision that happened on Friday, July 12th. As we reported the day it happened, Amundson was driving a garbage truck southbound on SE 17th when he made a left turn onto SW McLoughlin. Amundson’s truck collided with 22-year-old Charles Casperson, who was riding his bicycle in the crosswalk in the same direction.
Amundson has been cited for Careless Driving. Additionally, since Casperson sustained serious, trauma-level injuries, Amundson’s citation triggers Oregon’s Vulnerable Roadway User law (minor injuries don’t trigger the VRU law, as we saw in the case of a man who ran into the back of a child trailer in December 2012). The VRU comes with some combination of added fines (up to $12,500), community service, an appearance in court, completion of a traffic safety course, and a license suspension.
This is the second Careless Driving to a Vulnerable Roadway User citation given out by the PPB in less than a month.
The PPB cited school bus driver Renee Bates for the same infraction for her role in the collision that resulted in the death of 55-year-old Billie Jean Neel on July 11th. Bates was attempting to turn right onto SE Division from 148th, when she ran over Neel, who was walking in the crosswalk.
The VRU law passed the Oregon Legislature in 2007 and there have only been a handful of cases where it has been applied.