Portland traffic safety advocates expressed sorrow for the two people killed fleeing a regional anti-street racing traffic stop on Aug. 2, while also acknowledging that such missions may occasionally be necessary to prevent large street takeover events.
“I live within earshot of 82nd Avenue and I-205 and listen to this kind of racing regularly, so I am glad to finally see the City of Portland taking reckless driving seriously; however, we were deeply saddened to learn that two people lost their lives this past weekend as the result of a police chase, which kill increasing numbers of people in the U.S. annually. While one-off law enforcement interventions such as this past weekend’s may be necessary given current conditions, they are insufficient and unsustainable for addressing ongoing street takeovers and our city’s reckless driving problem,” Street Trust executive director Sarah Iannarone told the Portland Tribune on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
The mission was conducted over the Aug. 2-4 weekend in response to a planned event called the West Coast Invitational that was promoted on social media and expected to bring thousands of people to the city for street racing and takeovers. Numerous officers, deputies and troopers from Portland, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, the Port of Portland, the Oregon State Police, and the Vancouver Police Department participated.
Despite the deaths, the Portland Police Bureau said described the mission as a success. No other street-related crashes were reported, and no intersections were closed for lengthy periods. But Iannarone said different efforts are needed in the future.
“To truly safeguard our communities for the long-term, Portland must invest with urgency in traffic calming infrastructure on our deadliest streets and work to foster collaboration with the community in an ongoing manner.
Additionally, addressing the thrill-seeking and competitive attitudes driving these street racers requires a long-term public health approach including educational campaigns and youth intervention models, which are vital to changing risky driving behaviors and ensuring lasting safety improvements,” said Iannarone
According to the Portland Police Bureau, at 11:55 a.m. Aug. 2, two Gresham Police officers in a partner car assisting the mission reported seeing a speeding reckless driver in the area of Northeast 122nd Avenue at Northeast Hancock Street.
The officers activated overhead police lights to initiate a traffic stop but the driver did not stop. Two minutes later, the officers reported the driver crashed into a utility pole and rolled over at Northeast 122nd Avenue and Northeast Marx Street.
Emergency medical services responded and confirmed that two people were deceased at the scene. A third was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
Police have identified the two people killed as the driver, 22-year-old Malcom T. Braman, and a passenger, 36-year-old Nicholas P. McGuire. Another passenger who was seriously injured has not been identified.
Police said that over the weekend, 189 vehicles were stopped, 29 people were arrested, 30 vehicles were towed, 80 citations were issued, and several guns were seized.
Among the notable stops, Portland police cited the driver of a Chevy Camaro dressed up like the Batmobile on Saturday and seized a Ford Mustang driven by a 17-year-old with a suspended license and no insurance on Sunday. He was arrested for reckless driving.
On the first night of the mission, police made 50 traffic stops and seven arrests. On Saturday night, police broke up multiple attempted street takeovers, made at least 47 more traffic stops, arrested at least 11 people, and towed 10 cars, some of which were seized through asset forfeiture due to the owner’s participation in the street takeovers.
Sunday’s crackdown started before 4 p.m. in Southeast Portland, then moved to other parts of Portland and out to Troutdale and Damascus as drivers left town. At least another 41 traffic stops were made, four more people were arrested. and another seven vehicles were towed, police said.
More information is available on the PPB’s Twitter/X page at https://x.com/PortlandPolice.
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