PORTLAND, Ore. – Witnesses say the man accused of driving an SUV on a sidewalk in downtown Portland and hitting at least three women Friday morning did so intentionally.
Jon Strong was sitting at a traffic light on Southwest 6th Avenue on the Portland State University campus when he heard something that didn’t seem right. He said it was the SUV hitting the first group of women. Then, he said he saw the vehicle hit a second group of girls as it barreled down the sidewalk.
Photos: Hit-and-run in downtown Portland
Photos: Hit-and-run in downtown Portland
“I’m 100 percent sure this was intentional,” Strong said. "I don’t know his mental state but the way he drove, the acceleration, the fact he stayed in a tight coordinated attack with the way he was driving. No doubt in my mind it was intentional.”
The suspect, 61-year-old Greg Porter, has been charged with three counts of attempted murder. Police said they don't know why Porter drove up on the sidewalk and crashed into the women.
Police took a man into custody Friday afternoon near Northeast Glisan Street and 16th Avenue. He was inside the SUV involved in the hit-and-run, a blue 2005 Mazda Tribute. He has not been charged with a crime.
The crash left three women injured on a sidewalk near the Portland State University campus at around 10 a.m. One of the women was critically injured and another suffered serious, but not life-threatening injuries, according to police. Police initially reported the third victim's injuries were serious, but later said the woman's family did not want any further medical updates released. All three women were rushed to Portland hospitals.
Police said a fourth person may have been injured in the crash and walked away from the area.
Strong believes more would have been hurt if it wasn’t for a TriMet bus that he said forced the driver to veer off the sidewalk and onto the road.
Another witness, named Anna, who was across the street from the crash when it happened, told KGW the driver was speeding. She also believes the crash was intentional.
"It was not an accident that he was on the sidewalk. He purposely jumped the curb," she said.
Other witnesses said the driver drove the SUV onto a sidewalk and hit at least three young women before driving away. Witnesses also said the driver followed traffic rules, including stopping at red lights, while leaving the scene.