Two Men Die in Southwest Portland Car Crash on Barbur and Terwilliger

Officers were quickly dispatched to the scene of a crash involving two vehicles at the intersection of Southwest Barbur and Southwest Terwilliger boulevards. This tragic event left the driver and passenger of one of the cars with fatal injuries.

Portland's Recent Traffic Tragedy

In Portland, Oregon, the city has been grappling with a series of traffic-related incidents. Just on Wednesday evening, a crash on Southwest Barbur Boulevard claimed the lives of two men, marking the third such fatality in a mere 48-hour period.

Details of the Crash

At 9:21 p.m., Portland officers and the traffic division rushed to the scene. It was initially determined that a driver of a green 1997 Honda Civic was heading south on Barbur Boulevard when they collided with a blue Toyota Sienna. The Sienna's driver was making a left turn from northbound Barbur Boulevard onto Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard.At the crash site, three people were severely injured and were immediately transported to hospitals for medical treatment. The driver and passenger of the Honda Civic unfortunately died at the hospital. Their identities will be revealed only after their families have been informed. A passenger in the back of the Honda sustained serious injuries, while the driver of the Sienna was not seriously harmed.Southwest Barbur Boulevard was closed between Southwest Bertha Boulevard and Southwest 5th Avenue, and Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard was shut down between Southwest Caldew Drive and Southwest Canby Street to facilitate the investigation and clear the area.

Impact on Traffic and Safety

These two deaths bring the total number of traffic-related fatalities in Portland this year to 62 and 63. Portland Police Chief Bob Day informed KGW that there have been a couple of fatal accidents in the past 38 to 48 hours, all involving drunk drivers. He also pointed out that this year, the agency's drunk driving arrests have increased by almost 300%.Chief Day warned that while progress is being made and steps are being taken to minimize the risk, there will always be a certain level of danger on the roads.The community is left in shock by these tragic events, and efforts are being made to ensure the safety of all road users and prevent such incidents from happening in the future.