PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland police have concluded that a man intentionally stepped into the path of a semi truck on Northeast Marine Drive late Friday morning, causing his death.
Officers responded to the crash at Northeast Marine Drive and 148th Avenue around 11:45 a.m. and found a deceased male at the scene. The driver of the semi stayed on scene and cooperated with investigators, police said.
Investigators learned that the victim, a 34-year-old Portland man, had spoken with Portland police officers a short time earlier when the officers responded for a welfare check. The man had been walking beside the road and out of traffic, police said.
"Officers tried to offer him help but he was uncooperative," the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said in a statement. "There was no indication that he was suicidal and the officers had no lawful reason to detain him. They watched him for about 15 minutes from a distance to make sure he was safe before clearing."
Not long after the officers left, the man reportedly jumped into the path of the semi as it approached. The driver was unable to stop in time.
Police temporarily shut down a stretch of Northeast Marine Drive between Northeast 148th and 152nd Avenues as the Portland Police Major Crash Team investigated. No arrests have been made or citations issued in the case.
PPB said that this is the 17th fatal crash in Portland since the beginning of 2022.
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Help is available for community members struggling from a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts. Suicide is preventable.
The Multnomah County Mental Health Call Center is available 24 hours a day at 503-988-4888.
If you or someone you know is in mental health crisis please visit Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare's Urgent Walk-In Clinic. The clinic is located at 4212 Southeast Division Street and is open from 7am to 10:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Services are free and available to individuals of all ages.
Lines for Life is also available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
