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Portland police closed the Burnside Bridge on Sunday afternoon to investigate after two pedestrians were hit by a vehicle.
(Andre Meunier/The Oregonian)
Police closed the Burnside Bridge around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday afternoon to investigate after the driver in an eastbound car jumped the curb and hit two pedestrians on the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge, according to Portland Police.
Both victims were transported to local hospitals. The bridge is expected to be closed in both directions to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians for several hours. Police recommend using Hawthorne or Steel bridges as the Morrison Bridge is closed Sunday for maintenance work.
A male adult suffered traumatic, life-threatening injuries. A female adult suffered serious injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening, according to police.
Police did not release names of the victims.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the couple remained at the scene and was being cooperative, police said. Police are investigating whether the driver was impaired, said Sgt. Pete Simpson, spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau.
Police said a preliminary investigation by the Traffic Division's Major Crash Team showed the driver left the road around 2 p.m., drove up onto the south sidewalk, hit the victims and then crashed into the bridge railing.
The victims were on the sidewalk "which makes it that much more frustrating and challenging because we're always trying to reduce crashes like this," Simpson said.
The story will be updated throughout the afternoon as information becomes available.
-- Laura Gunderson
lgunderson@oregonian.com; 503-221-8378
@lgunderson