PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — A Multnomah County jury awarded over $5.1 million to the estate of Elijah Coe, a motorcyclist who died following a 2019 crash involving visibility obstruction from parked cars.
The incident occurred on May 3, 2019, at East Burnside Street and Southeast 17th Avenue. Coe, who was riding his motorcycle eastbound, was critically injured after a collision with another vehicle that resulted from visibility issues caused by parked cars.
According to the jury’s findings, the City of Portland was deemed 70% liable for the incident, while another driver, Eric Whitfield, was found 30% at fault.
Witnesses reported that Whitfield, traveling northbound on SE 17th Avenue, turned left onto Burnside after stopping at a stop sign. Parked vehicles obstructed both drivers’ views, contributing to the crash when Coe swerved into the westbound lane to avoid Whitfield.
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed in February 2020, claimed the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) allowed parking that blocked clear sight lines, contributing to unsafe conditions at the intersection.
Recent steps taken by PBOT include implementing “daylighting” measures to improve visibility by restricting parking near intersections. Since Coe’s death, the city has made visibility improvements at over 350 locations identified as high-crash areas.
Scott Kocher, attorney for Coe’s estate, expressed hope the verdict would prompt further changes to prevent similar incidents. The city has the option to appeal the jury’s decision; current responses from city officials regarding potential appeals have not been received.