GRESHAM, Ore — Southeast 162nd and Stark Street is a busy intersection filled with people commuting on foot and by car. But some locals are expressing concerns about its safety.
Louis Hanset, a nearby resident says he feels nervous while walking in the area. “It just seems like an unsafe intersection right now. There’s a lot of accidents.”
“I’ve literally had several times where people have almost hit my dog even though she’s within two feet of me,” Hanset added.
Late Saturday night, Hanset witnessed the aftermath of a hit-and-run at the intersection, which left a man dead by the time police arrived.
“I heard a big crash really late at night. I came outside and didn’t really see at first, but the police showed up really quickly,” he said.
This incident marks the fourth pedestrian fatality on Portland roads this month.
Phoenix, who works at a nearby corner store, recalls watching the incident on surveillance video. “The car hit two people and sped off. But it hit a lady, and she got up and started running to the man who was dragged to the intersection on the other side.”
Phoenix also described how the incident escalated saying, “He was stuck on the hood and then like slowed down a little bit to get him off the car or something. Then they just started speeding again. They just took off, they didn’t stop or anything.”
Both Hanset and Phoenix believe the pedestrian deaths could have been avoided. Phoenix called for better safety measures. “I feel like they are not doing enough to help anybody. Just have something safer for people or have more cameras on the streets a little bit more.”
Hanset agreed, criticizing current pedestrian crossing conditions. “You have to be like six inches away from where cars are driving to hit the button for walk. How stupid is that?”
He hopes the city can find a solution soon.
“Instead of catering to people riding bikes and putting them out into the street and the intersections — I think we should be catering to the people driving thousands of pounds of steel at high speed,” Hanset said.
Portland police report 43 deadly crashes this year, a slight decrease compared to last year.