A Pedestrian Was Killed in a Hit and Run in Northeast Portland, Bringing This Year’s Traffic Death Toll Up to Double Digits

This afternoon, Portland Police released details from an investigation into the incident, including the victim's identity.

Portland streets. (Wesley Lapointe)

Just two months into the year, Portland's traffic fatalities for 2020 has already reached double digits.

On Saturday night, Feb. 28, a person walking across the street was killed in a hit-and-run in the Northeast Portland neighborhood of Hollywood, the 10th traffic death in Portland this year.

This afternoon, Portland Police released the details from an investigation into the incident, including the victim's identity, 36-year-old Chantel Downs. Police have not identified the driver or located the vehicle.

According to the investigation, Downs was crossing the intersection of Northeast 42nd Avenue and Halsey street when she was struck by a car heading through a green light. The driver kept traveling westward. Downs was found dead when police arrived on the scene.

Last year Portland saw the highest number of traffic deaths in decades, exceeding the previous year's 34 fatalities by August.

Related: A $5.9 Million Lawsuit Claims That Portland's Lax Enforcement of a Parking Policy Resulted in the Death of a Motorcyclist

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