There have been two bad traffic crashes in Portland in the last 24 hours, including one involving John James Zupan, the owner of our local gourmet grocery chain Zupan’s.
According to the police, Mr. Zupan is in the hospital in critical condition after a sedan piloted by 32-year-old Edy Porfirio Reynoso-Ramirez crashed head on into Zupan as he drove his motorcycle along NE Marine drive last night. Ramirez was reportedly speeding and driving erratically when he crossed the road’s center line and smashed into Zupan, then careened down an embankment and fled the scene on foot. He has been charged with assault, DUII, and reckless driving. Marine Drive is one of the city’s 10 most dangerous streets, recognized as a “high crash corridor.”
The second crash occurred this morning in NW Portland and involved an oil truck, a Honda CRV, and a person with a bike. The oil truck apparently ran a stop sign at NW 21st and Wilson, slamming into 28-year-old Meghan Erickson’s Honda and then veering into 39-year-old Tobias Boyd, who was standing on the corner with his bike. Both Erickson and Boyd are in the hospital, luckily with non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyway, best wishes to the injured individuals. Drive safely out there.
UPDATE AUGUST 31: It looks like Zupan has died. Many condolences to his family.
What’s with the sarcastic headline to this article? Is there something I don’t know?
In related news here in Beaverton a TriMet vehicle ran a very very red light(changed when they were at least 15 yards away) and almost killed a little girl on her bike. The reason it did’nt is because she was right next to me and I grabbed the back of her bike as soon as I saw the van was going to run the red. No cops on that one despite the fact that they troll the area for speeders ,drunks, mexicans, anyone they can ticket, etc. I would have to say that grabbing her bike freaked her out, but that Tri Met van wizzing by a couple feet from her face upset her more. Hey lets try to be safe…sorry I am still a little amped up
Good job there Showstopper. You lived up to your moniker.
Ummmm … yeah … considering the update, you really need to change that headline.