Man Killed in Hillsboro Pedestrian Accident

Date: January 14, 2011
Location: Southwest Oak Street in Hillsboro
Name: Shawna Poppe, Unidentified Male Pedestrian

Police have not yet released the name of a man who was struck and killed while crossing a street in Hillsboro.

At about 7:10pm on Friday evening January 14, Shawna Poppe, age 31 of Forest Grove, was driving east on Southwest Oak Street in a Nissan sedan when her vehicle struck a man pushing a shopping cart diagonally across the street near Main Street.

The name of the Hillsboro man, age 75, is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Poppe struck the man with the front of her car, and he landed on her hood before falling to the street. Poppe stopped her vehicle after the crash and called 911. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by police and fire crews.

The road was closed until the Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team completed their investigation.

Police representatives have stated that there is no evidence that Poppe was reckless in her driving or was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The road curves near the site where the crash occurred, and Poppe told police that she could not see the man crossing the street. Poppe is not facing any charges related to the accident.

Our hearts go out to this poor man who was struck down and still has not been identified by his family. We certainly hope that everything possible is being done to find his next of kin, and that anyone who may know anything about this man will contact the authorities as soon as possible. Our thoughts are also with Ms. Poppe who must have been traumatized when this happened, and commend her for stopping and calling 911.

If a pedestrian is hit in a crosswalk, it is generally considered the driver’s fault. However, just like everything in the law, there are exceptions. If the pedestrian was wearing dark clothes, and it was dark, the driver can sometimes escape prosecution. Or if a pedestrian darts out unexpectedly into an intersection, the law may take the driver’s side too. All cases are different, of course, so contact a knowledgeable Portland pedestrian accident lawyer if you have any questions about your case.