One person was killed and a 17-year-old was injured when an SUV plowed into the bicycling pair in Southeast Portland early Friday morning, police said. Hours after the hit-and-run, an 18-year-old man was charged in the incident.
Family members identified the victim as 28-year-old Dustin Finney, a Portland Community College student. Family told KOIN's Araksya Karapetyan that Finney loved riding his bike--that he rode everywhere he went.
Just after 1 a.m., a motorist flagged a Portland police officer near Southeast Division and 87th, stating a bicyclist had been struck by a black SUV in the area. By the time authorities responded, Finney was pronounced dead, said Lt. Robert King, a police spokesman. He was not wearing a helmet.
Another cyclist, Kevin Phomma, 17, also told police he was struck by the driver. Phomma, a David Douglas High School student, was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, King said. Later in the afternoon Phomma returned to the scene of the accident and left flowers where Finney lay motionless several hours earlier.
One man who witnessed the accident said the area seems to be troublesome.
“It seems like every time we come out here, someone's getting shot or someone's getting stabbed, or people getting mowed down by cars," said Rico Soto. "It’s to the point that I'm just numb to the shock value of seeing a dead body out here."
Police set up a perimeter in the area and found the suspect dumped the SUV at 92nd and Southeast Powell. A K-9 was called in to search for the suspect, but he wasn't immediately found. About 10:30 a.m., Ashawntae Rosemon was taken into custody as the driver over the SUV.
Rosemon, 18, was taken to the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of second-degree manslaughter, DUII, failing to perform the duties of a driver, vehicle assault of a pedestrian and reckless driving. Police are still seeking a second suspect.
The Major Crash Team and Forensic Evidence Team investigated the crash.
Police ask anyone who may have witnessed the crash call Portland police at 503-823-2216.
--Araksya Karapetyan contributed to this report
