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Three people died in separate motorcycle crashes in Southeast Portland within a 17-hour period, prompting renewed scrutiny of motorcycle safety and potential legal claims under Oregon law.
This update summarizes the reported event and explains the practical legal context Oregon readers may want to understand. It is general information, not case-specific legal advice.
Published June 12, 2024
Portland witnessed a devastating 17-hour stretch that claimed the lives of three motorcyclists in two separate crashes in Southeast Portland. Authorities from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) confirmed both incidents, which bring the city’s total traffic fatalities to 27 this year, including seven involving motorcycle riders.
June 13, 2024 | 8:04 p.m. — The first of the two fatal motorcycle crashes occurred Thursday night near the intersection of Southeast Water Avenue and Southeast Morrison Street. Officers from PPB responded to the crash just after 8:00 p.m. and found a motorcycle wreck near the ramp connecting eastbound Morrison Bridge to northbound I-5.
Authorities determined that both the motorcyclist and their passenger had been thrown over the bridge barrier, landing in a parking lot below. Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene. PPB stated that no other vehicles appeared to be involved in the incident and have not released the names of the victims pending notification of next of kin.
This crash marked Portland’s 24th and 25th traffic-related fatalities of 2024, and the fifth and sixth involving motorcycles.
June 14, 2024 | 12:40 p.m. — Less than 17 hours after the Morrison Bridge crash, another fatal motorcycle collision occurred at Southeast 82nd Avenue and Southeast Mitchell Street. Responding officers found the motorcyclist deceased at the scene. The driver of the involved car remained and cooperated fully with investigators.
The Portland Police Traffic Division's Major Crash Team took over the investigation. Southeast 82nd Avenue was closed between Southeast Raymond Street and Southeast Foster Road for several hours, reopening around 5:30 p.m.
This incident became the 27th traffic-related fatality in Portland for the year, and the seventh involving a motorcycle. It also marked the fourth fatal crash in the city within 17 hours, including a separate pedestrian fatality on I-84 Friday morning.
These incidents underscore the continued vulnerability of motorcyclists on Portland’s roadways and raise potential legal issues surrounding motorcycle accident injury and wrongful death claims under Oregon law.
In motorcycle crashes involving other vehicles—such as the fatal Southeast 82nd Avenue accident—questions often arise about potential negligence on the part of either driver. Oregon follows a comparative negligence system, meaning that even if a motorcyclist is partially at fault, compensation may still be available.
In single-vehicle crashes like the Morrison Bridge incident, it's crucial to consider factors such as road conditions, signage, construction, or defective barriers. If unsafe road design or maintenance contributed to the crash, there may be grounds for a personal injury or premises liability claim against a public or private entity.
For surviving family members, the loss of a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident may entitle them to bring a wrongful death claim to recover damages for loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and other losses.
Portland is on a pace that may rival 2023’s record-high traffic fatalities, the most in at least three decades. The rise in motorcycle-related deaths calls for renewed focus on road safety initiatives, driver awareness campaigns, and infrastructure improvements to protect vulnerable road users.
The Portland Police Bureau urges anyone who may have witnessed either crash to provide information to the Traffic Investigations Unit. For the Morrison Bridge crash, reference case number 24-146033. For the Southeast 82nd Avenue crash, reference case number 24-146567, and email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov (opens in a new tab).
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident or has questions about a wrongful death claim, the attorneys at Pacific Injury Law Firm offer free consultations to help you understand your legal rights. Contact us online or call 971-277-3811.
Source reporting used to prepare this update and preserve citation transparency.
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