Friends: Man's death highlights dangers on SE Foster Road
PORTLAND, Ore. – The death of a young man in a hit-and-run crash on SE Forster Road brought together family, friends and strangers in a vigil Thursday night and many of those in attendance called for changes along what they call a dangerous road.
The group stood with candles and sang songs near a memorial at the corner of SE 70th Avenue and SE Foster Road to remember musician Jason Grant, 26, who was hit on January 29. He succumbed to his injuries while hospitalized.
A suspect in the case, Jim Dean Patterson, 53, turned himself into police on Thursday. Police said Patterson has been charged with two counts of failure to perform the duties of a driver.
Police said Grant was not in a crosswalk when he was hit.
Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman Dan Anderson said there have been safety improvements made to crossings near where Grant was killed, including signs, pedestrian islands and flashing lights at crosswalks.
But friends of Grant and local residents at the vigil Thursday said more needs to be done.
“Speeds need to be lowered, the traffic needs to be calmed down” on Foster Road one man told KATU News.
PBOT officials said they are trying to get grant money to make more safety improvements at Foster Road intersections and numerous others that are part of what they call "high crash corridors."
According to a May 2011 PBOT report about problems on Foster Road, “the incidence of crashes caused by drivers disregarding signals along Foster is about 60 percent higher than the citywide average. These types of crashes tend to result in more injuries and deaths than other types of crashes.”
Portland city officials said they hope to secure grants to continue making more improvements along Foster Road and at other trouble spots, including intersections along SE 122nd Avenue, 82nd Avenue and Barbur Boulevard, which also have a high level of incidents involving pedestrians.
Meanwhile, friends of Grant said they will miss the musician. Dustin Workman said he was working with Grant on a song last week, a song that now brings him to tears when he plays it.
Others at the vigil could be seen singing and crying near photos of Grant.