Police Nab Hit-and-Run Driver Who Injured Bicyclist

Date: June 11, 2010
Location: SE 110th & Division, Portland, Oregon
Names: Sean Meagher, [Unknown]

A 33-year-old man has been booked into Multnomah County Jail after a hit-and-run crash that left a bicyclist hospitalized, according to The Oregonian.

On June 11, 2010, around 7:10 AM, police responded to reports of an accident and an injured bicycle rider at SE 110th Avenue and Division Street in Portland, Oregon. They discovered the injured bicyclist, but the driver had fled the scene.

The bicycle rider, who has not been identified, was taken to Oregon Health & Sciences University Hospital for treatment, and is expected to survive. However, BikePortland.org reports that the rider suffered serious head injuries. The bicycle was broken in two.

Officers, meanwhile, set out to locate the missing driver, using dogs in their initial search. Finally they located an abandoned gold PT Cruiser that matched the description of the suspect vehicle, and the car led them to the driver, Sean Meagher, 33 (NOT the same Sean Meagher who works for The Oregonian).

Meagher was arrested at his home, then booked into Multnomah County Jail on the following charges:

• Felony Hit-and-Run
• Third-Degree Assault
• Second-Degree Criminal Mischief
• Reckless Driving
• Driving While Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance

According to the Oregon DMV, hit and run is a serious crime, and conviction will result in your driving privileges being suspended or revoked. In any accident, you have the following obligations:

• Stop at once. If anyone is killed or unconscious, you must stay at the scene until a police officer arrives.
• Render aid. Do not move an injured person carelessly, but give reasonable aid
• Exchange information with the other driver. Give them your name, address, driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information. DMV offers a printable checklist you can download and keep in your car.
• Report the accident to DMV.

We implore drivers in any accident situation to put the safety and welfare of others above their own interests, and always, always remain at the scene and make sure no one is hurt. We send our thoughts and prayers to the bicyclist who was injured in this crash, then was thoughtlessly left on the road to suffer. There is no excuse for this.

The hit-and-run driver must be held civilly and criminally responsible for his actions. And the injured bicyclist and his or her family may be well advised to contact a reputable Portland bicycle accident attorney with experience in hit-and-run crashes who will fight for the justice and compensation that they deserve. At DuBois Law Group, we believe that what happened in this crash is simply unacceptable; we are committed to making sure that hit-and-run drivers are held accountable for their actions and that both victims and families receive the compensation they deserve.