PORTLAND, Ore. — Two more people died in traffic crashes in the city last month, Portland police said on Saturday, bringing an end to a year with the most traffic fatalities in nearly four decades.
This brings the count for 2023 to 75 with 27 pedestrians among those who lost their lives and is an increase from 68 in 2022. This was the deadliest year on record since 79 people died in traffic crashes in 1986, Portland Police Bureau said.
A man who was hit by a car on the morning of December 4th has passed away. Investigators say 39-year-old James Jackman of Salem was walking in the middle of the ramp from I-5 southbound to I-84 eastbound when he was hit by a box truck. He died in the hospital three weeks later on Christmas Day.
Another man was hit by a vehicle at Southeast 122nd and Ash Street on Christmas Day. Investigators say 73-year-old Stewart Poitra reportedly ran into the street without warning. He died a week later on January 2nd.
Police did not say why the victims were in traffic lanes when they were hit.
The latest crash happened during a deadly stretch on Portland roads where six people lost their lives between December 24 and 26.
Portland Police Bureau counts traffic fatalities slightly different than the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Oregon Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which exclude those involving suicide, medical events, deaths that happen more than 30 days later, those that occur on private property and non-public roadways or involving non-motorized vehicles.
