PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Police Bureau (PPB) call the number of deadly crashes this week, and even this month — shocking. Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) deputies said they're on pace to have more fatal crashes this year than they've had in over a decade.
And they believe many of these wrecks, some caused by street racing, others by drivers allegedly under the influence, were entirely preventable.
Although agencies like PPB are focusing their efforts on enforcement through the reinstated traffic division, officers are still seeing far too many driving recklessly on the roads.
In Portland, police reported 42 traffic related deaths this year, and 11 of those from just this month.
"It feels like the streets of Portland have been really dangerous," said PPB Sgt. Kevin Allen. "I think that there is no question that the amount of incredible, horrific crashes we've seen over the course of this month has been shocking. It's been shocking to those of use that do the work, but especially for the folks from the traffic division."
Thursday night along Powell Boulevard, three people died after a car crash. Hours later, on Southwest Barbur Boulevard, one person died and two people were badly injured in a wreck.
"That was very clearly related to impairment and that driver not only went to jail for DUII, but also for manslaughter in the first degree, very, very serious charge," said Allen about the Southwest Barbur Boulevard crash.
Allen said PPB has been busy with the traffic patrol division, a team of 12 officers working from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., seven days a week, to address dangerous driving. It was reinstated in May, after a more than a two year hiatus.
"We know that is sorely needed, and if we needed any more reminders, it's the the devastation that we've seen this month in Portland."
He acknowledged that they have a small team, but long term, the Bureau wants to build it up to about two or three dozen officers.
"I mean, we know that we can only do so much," Allen said. "But when you're faced with just the the grim reality of of these terrible crashes... you always wonder, what if?"
Over in Washington County, deputies report 15 fatal crashes this year.
"Throughout the whole year in Washington County, we've seen a huge uptick in fatal crashes countywide," said Sgt. Josh Wilson with the Traffic Safety Unit. "I think that by the end of this year if we stay on the pace that we're at, we are looking at probably close to 40 fatal crashes."
Three of the deadly crashes happened this month, including one Friday morning, on Northwest Susbauer Road.
"There's not really a shoulder out there," said Wilson. "The bicycle and truck were sharing the roadway, and it appears that the driver did not move over far enough."
Deputies said 76-year-old Constantino Guzman-Rojas was riding his bike to work around 5:30 in the morning when he was hit by a semi truck. He died at the scene, only 30 feet from the New Leaf Greenhouse driveway. According to his colleagues, Guzman-Rojas biked to work there nearly everyday for 25 years.