October 2007 will always be remembered as a tragic time for our community. Fatal collisions took the lives of Brett Jarolimek and Tracey Sparling, and Bob Verrinder was critically injured from a collision with a car on Marine Drive.
The articles below chronicle those crashes and the resulting aftermath.
Looking south on Interstate with Greeley to the right. City crews have extended the median and joined it with the sidewalk to make the right-turn closure permanent. In October of 2007, a man was killed at this intersection after a collision with a right-turning truck.(Photos © J. Maus)
According to The Oregonian, the family of Tracey Sparling — the 19-year who was killed when a cement truck turned right into her in October 2007 — has filed a lawsuit against the trucking company. Here’s more from The Oregonian: “The suit was filed Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court against the driver and his … Read more
Michael Hall oversaw memorials for two PNCA students last fall.(Photo © J. Maus) Michael Hall, Dean of Student Services at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, has received a community award from the NW Examiner for his role in creating awareness and promoting bike safety in the wake of two tragic deaths last year. The … Read more
This is a draft design concept created by Matt Cardinal for a permanent memorial to honor Brett Jarolimek at N. Interstate and Greeley Ave. The image is taken from a photograph by Bob Libby of Creative Dog Photography.
The ghost bike for Tracey Sparling (at the corner of W. Burnside and 14th in downtown Portland) with fresh flowers placed by family members on the one-year anniversary of her death.(Photos © J. Maus) A memorial sculpture and stencil (since removed) for Brett Jarolimek at the intersection of N. Interstate and Greeley.
The new bike box at W. Burnside and 14th.Video below(Photos © J. Maus) On Monday, the city of Portland installed a bike box in the SE corner of W. Burnside and 14th streets in downtown Portland — the same intersection where Tracey Sparling was killed nine months ago. This is the eighth bike box the … Read more
Jan Verrinder at the bike safety press conference in City Hall a week after her husband Bob was nearly killed in a collision with a car on Marine Drive.(Photo © J. Maus) During last year’s Sad October, our community endured several tragedies. The two young lives we lost grabbed most of the headlines, but sandwiched … Read more
(Photo © J. Maus) The Oregonian is reporting that the family of Brett Jarolimek has filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the driver of the garbage truck in the fatal collision back in October. According to reporter Joseph Rose, the family is, “claiming 40-year-old Bryan Lowes of Oregon City was negligent and should have never … Read more
Daniel McGinnis, BTA Board member and president of Bike Gallery.(Photos © J. Maus) At the Brett Jarolimek Memorial Fund benefit last night, Bike Gallery President Daniel McGinnis implored the hundreds of people who showed up to “roll up your sleeves”, and reminded us that our recent Platinum accolade is, “a platform and nothing else.” McGinnis … Read more
The bike is back, with a letter from the thief.(Photo © J. Maus) Yesterday’s case of the mysterious disappearance of Brett Jarolimek’s ghost bike at N. Interstate and Greeley has come to an unexpected close. Just a few hours after my story, I got an email and a phone call from local TV news crews … Read more
*Read this story for the update.* _____ Only flowers and mementos remain.(Photo © J. Maus) The ghost bike for Brett Jarolimek has gone missing, and the disappearance is most likely the work of pranksters or thieves who want to sell it for scrap. The memorial, which was chained to a traffic pole on N. Interstate … Read more
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has made its decision on whether or not to issue traffic citations in the October fatalities of Tracey Sparling and Brett Jarolimek. Rinker Cement Company truck driver Timothy Wiles has been issued a citation for violation of ORS 811.050, “Failure to yield to rider on bicycle lane,” in the October … Read more