It happened near this location in Washington Park.
The Portland Police Bureau just reported a fatal collision involving a bicycle rider that happened Sunday night in Washington Park.
Here’s the full PPB statement:
On Sunday, August 31, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers assigned to the Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct responded to a bicycle crash in the area of Southwest Sacajawea Boulevard and Southwest Lewis and Clark Circle in Washington Park. When they arrived, officers located an adult male cyclist deceased.
PPB’s Major Crash Team (MCT) responded to the scene. The preliminary investigation indicates the cyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was riding a BMX-style bike downhill with a group of other cyclists when he crashed trying to ride between two boulders.
No further information will be released at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact PPB’s Traffic Division and reference case number 25-238736.
This description would seem to imply that the person who died was taking part in a group ride. I’m not aware of any such ride that was going on yesterday that would have placed a group like this in Washington Park at that time. Hearing that it was a “BMX-style” bike (which I take it to mean it was small) and given the location, this might have been a group doing a sort of “Zoobomb” — which is a well-known tradition (which has fizzled out quite a bit since its heyday 15 years or so ago) where people ride minibikes up to the top of the park (the zoo) and then “bomb” down. The location at Lewis and Clark Circle is a common stopping point on some Zoobomb routes.
I don’t have any details beyond what the police have shared. So if you know more and want the community to hear about it, please reach out to me.
UPDATE, 5:32 pm: The man who died was 46 year old Brian Hesse. He was an active member of the PDX Bike Life community on Facebook. This His daughter posted this remembrance of him on that page along with the photo:
Just wanted to say how much my dad enjoyed every moment with you all. Everytime i would talk to him he’d either be out with yall or talking about the next ride.
You all gave him the best years of his life, and right now that’s the only thing im finding comfort in.
