Skip to main content4/4/08, 11 am: Tyler Wiese returned WW calls from his hospital bed today.
Wiese confirmed the story below and told WW that he had suffered two broken legs from the fall.
He would not name the person who was driving the car that he had fallen from but did confirm that he was planning on talking to a social worker today to decide whether or not he would pursue legal action.
"No, Sam Adams, citizen," the mayoral candidate and city commissioner told WW today, after helping a person in need last night after a nasty street altercation.
A source (not Adams or anyone from Adams' City Hall or campaign office) who asked not to be identified told WW that Adams helped a man he found lying in the middle of North Campbell Street about 11 pm on Wednesday, April 2.
Witnesses tell WW that the victim was in what appeared to be a domestic squabble with a man who appeared to be his partner.
WW's source identified the victim as Tyler Wiese, a bartender at the North Portland gay bar Eagle Portland.
"They were pushing and shoving each other in the middle of the street," says John Rothermich, a neighbor who saw the quarrelsome twosome fighting as well as jumping in and out of a car—until the partner locked Wiese out of the car.
"That's when [Wiese] jumped on the hood," said Rothermich.
According to Rothermich, the car accelerated for about a block before hitting the brakes. Wiese fell off the hood and onto the street. As the car drove away and Rothermich went to call 911, Adams pulled up to the scene of the accident in his white pickup.
It was then, Adams says, that he helped Wiese. (Wiese did not return WW's calls, and nobody answered the door when WW went to his home today).
"I did what anyone else would've done in the same situation," says the good Sam-aritan.
Adams came upon the scene after a late dinner at a North Killingsworth Street restaurant with an ex-boyfriend, Oregon Ballet Theatre artistic director Christopher Stowell. Adams was heading home to the Kenton neighborhood by way of North Campbell Street when he saw what he thought was a body lying in the street.
"I slowed down, and then stopped," says Adams. "I could see someone was waving their arm in the air."
After getting out of his truck and putting on his safety lights, Adams saw and heard Wiese groaning in pain.
Adams asked if he was hurt. According to Adams, Wiese responded that he didn't know.
Rothermich, who'd come out to help, recalls saying, "Hey, aren't you Sam Adams?"
"When he said, 'Yeah,' that's when things got surreal," Rothermich says.
Adams wasn't sure if he should move Wiese, but eventually helped Wiese up and sat him near his truck, putting his coat around him.
"He didn't want me to call an ambulance because he said he didn't have insurance," says Adams.
Rothermich and Adams tried to get Wiese to his feet. "By that time [Wiese] was screaming bloody murder," said Adams who, along with the Rothermich and another witness, Shelley Turely, decided it was time to call 911.
Rothermich ended up making the call to 911, and an ambulance arrived to take Wiese.
According to Rothermich and Portland Police spokeswoman Cathe Kent, Wiese chose not to press charges or file a police report.
Kent says the incident has been referred to the Domestic Violence Reduction Unit.
Here's the kicker. Adams said after the ordeal wrapped up Rothermich and Turley asked him for a lawn sign. "I had a friend, Pete Ashdown, who ran against [Utah Republican] Sen. Orrin Hatch," said Turley. "I know they appreciate that kind of stuff."
Adams, who just so happened to have one in the back of his truck, happily obliged. Here it is:
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