Pedestrian Killed Crossing McLoughlin Blvd.

Date: November 27, 2009
Location: SR 99E near Gladstone, Oregon
Names: Maria Isabel Cervantes-Gutierrez, Nathan Sheets

Maria Isabel Cervantes-Gutierrez, 60, of Milwaukie, Oregon, was killed November 27, 2009, around 8:20 PM, when she was struck by a van while crossing State Route 99E (McLoughlin Boulevard) near Gladstone. According to The Oregonian, Cervantes-Gutierrez was crossing the street from east to west when she was struck by a Chevrolet Astro van driven by Nathan Sheets, 24, of Milwaukie.

An Oregon State Police press release reports that Sheets stopped immediately, stayed at the scene until police and emergency personnel arrived, and cooperated fully in the investigation. OSP said it appeared Cervantes-Gutierrez was not in a marked crosswalk when she was hit.

The accident closed the road’s southbound lanes for about two hours while OSP’s collision reconstruction unit conducted an investigation. The investigation was continuing as of November 28, and no citations had been issued.

This is a tragic crash, and we are so sorry to hear that Cervantes-Gutierrez was killed. We send our wishes and prayers to her family. We would also like to send our condolences to Sheets, who must be reeling after such an accident, and add to it a sincere thank-you for stopping. We are glad this crash was not compounded by a hit-and-run driver leaving the scene. Sheets was responsible and performed his duties as a driver. That’s the right thing to do.

But we must stress how important it is for everyone to take extra care, especially now, when it’s colder, and it gets darker sooner. We recently posted a blog about the two women who were hit on Foster in Portland; one died and the other was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. It’s getting dark now during rush hour. And pedestrians are always looking for shortcuts, and maybe even more so with the colder weather. But please, please, obey the traffic laws, use caution, make yourself visible, and look out for anyone who could be on the roads.

DuBois Law Group is located in Portland, Oregon, and serves clients in all Oregon cities and counties, including Portland, Beaverton, Multnomah County, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tualatin, Troutdale, Sellwood, Corvallis, Salem, Eugene, and Albany.