Category: Crime

Crime

Police Catch Suspected Christmas Hit-and-run Driver

David Wayne Becker was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on December 25th, 2023, near SE Stark Street and 106th Avenue. On January 31st, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested the 37-year-old suspected driver in Vancouver, Washington. Nationally, an increasing number of drivers flee the scene of a crash. However, as indicated by this recent arrest, Police can still hold people accountable even after they leave the area.

On Christmas morning, an off-duty Portland Police Officer discovered Becker on SE Stark Street suffering injuries from an apparent vehicle collision with a pedestrian. The off-duty officer contacted emergency services at approximately 12:19 a.m. and provided medical aid to the victim until an ambulance arrived. Paramedics transported the 63-year-old Becker to a local hospital, but he was later declared deceased. A nearby camera captured an image of a red Dodge Ram with a broken driver’s side headlight assembly and damage to the front driver’s side corner from the collision.

Security footage of red Dodge Ram involved in the crash. Image provided by Portland Police

Police shared the image of the suspect’s vehicle on January 2nd and asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the driver. On January 12th, a Multnomah County Grand Jury returned a four-count indictment against the suspect, charging him with Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver Resulting in Death, Attempt to Elude Police, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Reckless Driving. With the help of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Vancouver Police Department, authorities took the suspect and his red Dodge Ram into custody.

According to a AAA Study, hit-and-run deaths in the U.S. have increased an average of 7.2 percent each year since 2009. Portland is also seeing an increase in fatal crashes and people fleeing the scene. At approximately 2:17 a.m. on February 5th, Portland Police officers responded to another pedestrian hit-and-run fatality near the intersection of SE 82nd Avenue and Flavel Street. Portland Police do not capture all drivers who fail to remain at the crash site. However, the Major Crash Team and Criminalists from the Forensic Evidence Division are regrettably practiced at gathering evidence from fatal crashes, aiding in the apprehension of drivers who flee the scene.

Preventing fatal crashes is the primary goal of traffic safety officials and law enforcement. However, holding people accountable for their involvement in a collision is essential in deterring reckless behavior. Portland Police and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office collaborate on crash investigations and are actively working on convicting more hit-and-run drivers. Prosecution alone will not make streets safer, but increasing driver accountability is necessary to reduce crash fatalities.

Update: Portland Police arrested a suspect involved in the hit-and-run crash at SE 82nd Avenue and SE Flavel Street. Officers booked the 26-year-old Portland resident into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Criminally Negligent Homicide, Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver (Death), and Tampering with Evidence. Investigators determined the suspect was speeding through a work zone when he struck the pedestrian crossing SE 82nd Avenue. 

By

Jacob Loeb

Community, Crime

Speed Camera Van Calms Morning Commute

Thursday morning, commuters on SE Stark Street encountered a Portland Police Bureau Photo Enforcement van parked near SE 78th Avenue. Drivers traveling over the posted speed limit of 20 miles per hour saw their speed displayed on the van-attached reader board and a flash. Once the vehicle passes the van, another flash triggers as the van presumably captures additional photos of the speeder’s rear license plate.

Traffic enforcement vehicles often park in front of Mr. Plywood, capturing people driving through the center of Montavilla’s historic downtown. Speeding between the traffic lights at SE 82nd and 76th Avenues has become more dangerous since road work temporarily removed high-visibility crosswalks at SE 80th Avenue. For many business owners and residents, speeding along SE Stark is a significant concern because it is a two-lane, one-way road that encourages efficient vehicle throughput at higher than posted speeds. 

Portland is increasing the use of speed and red-light cameras across the city with three proposed additions in Montavilla along 82nd Avenue. Although the van’s placement could temporarily decrease speeding, a permanent installation is likely the only way to reduce dangerous driving without significant changes to the street’s design. Portland is seeing record-high traffic fatalities, with 2023 being the deadliest in the last three decades. Using vans like the one place on SE Stark Street and permanent traffic cameras could help reverse that trend, but additional tactics are likely needed.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Crime

Police Will Chase More Suspects in 2024

On November 29th, a suspect evaded Portland Police and went on a high-speed dash through Montavilla. Per a 2017 revision to police Directives, officers did not pursue the vehicle with the hopes the driver would reduce speeds and limit the potential bystander harm. However, the car maintained unsafe speeds, moving recklessly through the neighborhood. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) says that since the 2017 change to procedure, drivers have increasingly eluded traffic stops, driving away with disregard for public safety even though Police are not following them. Now, the PPB will lower the threshold for authorizing pursuits in an effort to end a suspect’s dangerous driving behavior quickly.

Police chases are dangerous for all people involved and anyone in the vicinity. They cause hundreds of deaths per year nationwide. In 2017, the PPB’s revision to Directive 630.05: Vehicle Interventions and Pursuits was part of an American public safety trend that saw police forces limit when officers could chase a vehicle. Since the change, Portland Police could only pursue an individual suspected of having “committed a felony person crime or where the suspect’s driving conduct, prior to the initiation of a stop, displays a willful disregard for the safety of others.” Many police departments have seen reduced fatalities related to Police chases when implementing similar restrictions. However, PPB says the pendulum is swinging in the other direction as criminals become aware of the policy and use it to avoid capture by speeding away, again risking bystander safety.

Portland Police responding to rollover crash July, 2013

Modifications to Police Directives will take effect in mid-January but do not reflect a rollback to the pre-2017 policy. The changes will provide some leeway for Officers when deciding if a pursuit will most likely keep the community safe. Currently, specific vehicle interventions rely on a suspect’s speed. In the new rules, an officer can consider all circumstances threatening public safety when deciding to box in, ram, or use a PIT maneuver on a car.

Changes to Directives also allow vehicular pursuits for Special Missions and certain known suspects. The recent Montavilla chase was part of a Stolen Vehicle Operation in East Precinct. Air support and a significant number of Police vehicles were available. PPB feels that with sufficient resources and planning during Special Missions, they can apprehend a suspect faster than other traffic stops, reducing the danger to the community. The adjustments around known suspects center on situations where not arresting a person would be more dangerous to the community than the risks from a high-speed pursuit.

The PPB intends these changes to refine the restricted policy around Police chases created in 2017. Officers must still terminate a pursuit when the safety risks to the community outweigh the benefit of capturing the suspect. The authors of these changes are adjusting to the dangerous conditions around policing. Not chasing suspects only improved public safety to a point, and Police now need to update the policies to address other life-threatening actions that evolved out of the 2017 change. It will likely take years to see if these updated Directives increase community safety and criminal apprehension. However, annual pursuit crash statistics should indicate if bystanders are at greater risk due to these modifications and prompt further updates if needed.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

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Community, Crime

Life Taken at the Road’s Edge

James Brian Fenimore was killed by a speeding Minivan this week while walking on a SE 82nd Avenue sidewalk near E Burnside Street. He was an artist who had lived in Montavilla’s Milepost 5 Studios for years and created art under the name Jimi Rockola. Portland Police cited the suspected driver for manslaughter in the first degree, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and reckless driving. Members of the non-profit Milepost 5 Studios Artists’ Collective and residents of his former apartment building are mourning the loss of their fellow creator and friend, who had left them for a quick errand that he never returned from.

Fenimore moved into the neighborhood affordable housing complex after his boss, who was also the manager at the time, recommended it. As a musician, he fit in with the predominantly artist residents at Milepost 5 and soon formed a band. Fenimore loved his second-floor apartment overlooking Montavilla Park and his new community. As COVID locked everyone indoors, he continued to make music with his newfound friends. Later, after a band member died and others needed a break, Fenimore began concentrating on his artwork created from discarded items. “I’ve always been appalled at how much waste there is in the world and how easy it is to repurpose everyday items,” wrote Fenimore in a September 19th open letter to the Milepost 5 community.

Self portrait collage made by James Brian Fenimore

James Fenimore taught art classes and hosted open-mic events at Milepost 5, joining the Milepost 5 Studios Artists’ Collective when it was formed. Despite his commitment to the art community in the building, he lost his apartment. Fenimore had difficulties establishing his rental support eligibility paperwork with the building management, according to his friend and Milepost 5 Studios Artists’ Collective founder, Sarah Gerhardt. Despite losing his housing, he kept involved with art and his community, holding onto the support he received from his fellow artists. “Even though I lost my Apt. I still had something I never had in 65 years. I felt love and compassion and hope in a violent, angry world,” wrote Fenimore.

(Jimi Rockola) James Fenimore’s art from an April 2023 show

The night of his death, James Fenimore left his friends on his way to exchange collected cans for their deposit money. He was living on the street, waiting to get into other affordable housing. Although his death will add to the disproportionately high percentage of homeless people killed in traffic crashes, this tragedy had nothing to do with his current living situation. Security footage of the wreck shows Fenimore walking north on the sidewalk towards the E Burnside crosswalk. Another pedestrian walking south passes Fenimore before jumping out of the way of the speeding minivan as it careens off the street. The other person barely reaches safety before the vehicle collides with Fenimore and the signal equipment. Both people on the sidewalk were well-lit and walking in what should have been a safe area; only chance spared one of them. Police attribute the crash to speed and alcohol.

The driver of the vehicle is in the hospital with significant injuries. Police have accused them of being criminally reckless with their actions, costing the community an artist and depriving many people of a friend.

Update: St Peter & Paul Episcopal Church at 247 SE 82nd Avenue will host a memorial service for James Brian Fenimore (Jimi Rockola) on Thursday, November 9th at 3 p.m. The community is welcome to attend. His friends have setup a GoFundMe to cover expenses. (Note: This was moved from November 2nd to the 9th)

By

Jacob Loeb

Main article image provided by Sarah Gerhardt

Community, Crime

Fatal Crash on 82nd at E Burnside

On October 21st, Portland’s 53rd traffic-related fatality of this year occurred at E Burnside Street at NE 82nd Avenue. At 11:37 p.m., a minivan traveling north on SE 82nd Avenue left the roadway, killing a pedestrian and colliding with traffic signal equipment. The vehicle suffered heavy damage after striking a utility pole, and an AMR ambulance transported the driver to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews working to restore signal function to the intersection have reduced through traffic to a single lane in each direction.

PBOT crews replacing signal control box to the right, dents on pole seen at the left

The northbound minivan traveling on SE 82nd Avenue crossed over the center turn lane and two opposing traffic lanes, colliding with a traffic light control cabinet and a heavy steel signal pole on the southwest corner, spinning around and shearing off a metal signpost. The Portland Police Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team has not yet indicated where the pedestrian was located when struck by the vehicle. The complete destruction of the signal cabinet and denting of the pole suggests the minivan was likely traveling at speeds above the posted limit of 30 miles per hour.

Traffic sign seen bent and sheared-off

Pedestrian death along 82nd Avenue has become increasingly common in Montavilla. A man in a wheelchair died following a hit-and-run crash in April at NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. PBOT is currently working on safety improvements to 82nd Avenue, and they will be installing speed safety cameras at this intersection next year.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Construction, Crime, Infrastructure

Traffic Citation Cameras Coming to Montavilla

On October 5th, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced plans to install at least eight additional traffic cameras by the end of 2023. Program planners expect to add up to 12 more cameras next year that are currently in the design phase. Three of those possible 2024 additions are located in Montavilla along 82nd Avenue.

PBOT already has 20 cameras in Portland issuing citations or warnings in an effort to curb high traffic injuries and reckless vehicle operation. Contractors are mounting speed safety cameras to poles, targeting motorists traveling in a specific direction. These types of systems encourage safe driving, similar to the speed warning signs installed in the area at the beginning of the year, but with a hefty fine sent to those who do not adjust their behavior. These crews will also install intersection safety cameras to enforce both speed limits and red-light compliance. Those are the types of citation infrastructure planned for Montavilla.

Next year, road users could see new cameras watching two intersections in the neighborhood. Plans are underway to monitor southbound traffic at E Burnside Street and SE 82nd Avenue for vehicles running red lights and speeding. PBOT plans to install similar devices at NE Glisan Street and 82nd Avenue. Those would focus on traffic traveling northbound and westbound. PBOT intends to add several more camera locations north of Montavilla along 82nd Avenue and east on SE Stark Street. A complete list of cameras is available on the city’s Vision-Zero website with other project details.

Illustration courtesy PBOT

This expanded program is part of PBOT’s commitment to using the various tools available to reduce traffic fatalities. Although fines generate revenue, PBOT explained that Oregon law directs about 70% of the net income from automated citations to the State, funding the Criminal Fine Account. The speed camera enforcement program has not generated revenue for PBOT since it began seven years ago. Portland retained fines currently paid for installing and operating the cameras. The city is required to spend any future earnings from this automated citation system on traffic safety programs or improvements and will not help with PBOT’s $32 million budget shortfall.

Camera citations are not the only solution needed for safer streets. However, a majority of surveyed Portland residents support the expanded use of traffic cameras. Not only can they incentivize better driving in certain areas, but they can also reduce the need for traffic stops by the Police, which can be dangerous for both the officer and driver. Expect to see this program expand over the next few years and look for signage ahead of all speed safety cameras. At first, drivers will receive warnings from the new cameras, but soon after, the Portland Police Bureau will issue citations from $170 to $440 for speeding and a $265 fine when running a red light.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Crime

SE 86th Ave Closed for EPA Cleanup

Earlier today, crews working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) closed a one-block section of SE 86th Avenue from SE Stark Street to SE Washington Street in an effort to contain a mercury spill. A representative for the EPA indicated that a person deposited the hazardous substance on a vehicle in an act of vandalism. The car is parked along the west side of SE 86th Avenue and is currently surrounded by plastic containment tarps to prevent the mercury from spilling onto the ground. 

Cleanup efforts will continue tomorrow and may last several days. Mercury is a silvery-white metal that remains liquid at room temperature. Mercury spills have the potential to cause damage to the human nervous system if a person suffers prolonged exposure or encounters high levels of the element. Cleanup crews are monitoring the site for signs of mercury vapor, which forms from droplets that evaporate. It is an odorless, colorless vapor that is invisible to the eye. People should be safe from the ill effects of mercury vapor if they stay outside the closed-off area.

People should avoid the area while cleanup is underway and not touch any mercury droplets if they encounter them. This is a developing story; we will update it with more information when it becomes available.

Update (August 27th, 2023): NWFF Environmental crews working with the US EPA and Oregon DEQ have returned to the site today. They anticipate another full day of cleanup followed by more testing. The results of those tests will determine if they need to return. The intentional mercury spill occurred in the early morning of August 24th. It took the car’s owner several days and many attempts to escalate the incident to the right agency.  

The initial examination found mercury droplets on the vehicle and mercury vapor inside the car’s engine compartment. EPA and DEQ officials on-site noted the dangerous “hot spot” for mercury is relatively confined. Crews have focused on the three curbside parking spaces around the vehicle and the planting strip next to them. Officials created a wider perimeter around the street and sidewalk to keep people from getting too close to the work zone. 

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Crime

Significant Police Response in Montavilla

On August 9th, Portland Police issued a shelter-in-place order in Montavilla as they attempted to apprehend the person suspected of threatening people with a firearm. Police initially received a call at 12:19 p.m. reporting a suspicious person with a weapon at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street. That situation quickly escalated to a substantial police response involving armored vehicles and tactical officers. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) eventually took a suspect into custody without injury and recovered a gun as evidence.

According to Police, arriving officers located the man suspected of brandishing a weapon. However, he refused to comply with officers, taking off on foot. Around 1 p.m., police officers confronted the person near SE 81st and Washington Street observing what they believed was a gun. Assisting PPB members created a six-block perimeter around the suspect bordered by SE Stark Street, SE 82nd Avenue, SE Morrison Street, and SE 80th Avenue. PPB utilized the public safety alert system to issue a shelter-in-place order for the immediate area as a precaution.

Image from Portland Maps with MV News illustrations showing Police perimeter in red

Because Police believed the suspect had a firearm and was non-compliant, the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) responded to the incident with assistance from PPB’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT). A neighbor near the incident and home at the time heard the event. They described 20 to 30 minutes of police instruction to the suspect that went partially obeyed. Police instructed the individual not to reach for his weapon. The person complied by keeping his hands on his head. However, subsequent requests were not followed, preventing officers from safely approaching the suspect. Eventually, he followed all commands, and Police took the person into custody without physical injury.

This Police response was significant in scope and received substantial attention from people in the area. Some observers remarked that the show of force was unnecessary. However, the PPB has established procedures to address situations where suspects are armed, and policies also prevent support from alternative response divisions like the Portland Street Response when a weapon is involved. Even if police actions seemed larger than necessary to some, the process PPB followed did result in a none violent apprehension of a potentially armed individual.

By

Jacob Loeb

Correction: An earlier version of this article had the date as August 19th instead of August 9th.

Community, Crime

Car Lot Fire Closes SE 82nd Ave

Saturday morning, July 15th, Portland Fire & Rescue closed a section on SE 82nd Avenue to battle a fire at a used car lot. A sales office building for Millennium Motors at 720 SE 82nd Avenue caught fire before 8 a.m. Multiple engines arrived on site to contain the fire, closing SE 82nd Avenue from SE Washington to Yamhill streets. Crews had reopened travel lanes by 9:30 a.m., leaving a smaller team onsite to monitor for flare-ups. Fire spread appears minimal, and the quick response by emergency services likely saved many vehicles and adjacent property.

By

Jacob Loeb

Crime, View of Montavilla

Shot Driver Involved in 102nd Ave Crash

Update July 11th, 2023: The Portland Police Bureau released the name of the person who died in this crash. Eleven-year-old Ryan Ambrose was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his family member when the collision occurred. The other vehicle’s driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries from the accident and a previously obtained gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment and then released into police custody. He is currently being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center, charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Manslaughter in the First Degree. The police investigation revealed that speed and alcohol impairment were the primary factors in the crash.

Ryan Ambrose, 11. Image courtesy of his family

On July 8th, at 10:19 p.m., Portland Police responded to a crash involving two cars near Mall 205. The rollover collision sent two people to the hospital, where one person succumbed to their injuries, and another is receiving care for a previously received gunshot wound. The investigation closed parts of SE 102nd Avenue, SE Washington Street, and SE Stark Street.

Images in this article provided by the Portland Police Bureau

When officers arrived at SE 102nd Avenue and Washington Street, they discovered the driver of one crashed vehicle shot, apparently from a previous incident at another location. The passenger from the other vehicle had life-threatening injuries. Officers performed CPR at the crash site before ambulances transported the injured to an area hospital. This crash is the 34th vehicle-related fatality in 2023.

By

Jacob Loeb