Yesterday, President Obama returned to Portland, OR to try and fire up the Democrats or rekindle some political magic. There was an enthusiastic crowd estimated near 10,000 which packed the convention center and listened as the president stumped for John Kitzhaber, who is locked in a tight race for his old job as governor.
Sadly, the visit occurred in the middle of rush-hour traffic and triggered an accident on I-84 when eastbound traffic slowed to watch Obama’s motorcade traveling west from the Portland Air National Guard Base.
At about 6pm, a northeast Portland man (Peter Kendall Gunderson, age 59) was eastbound when he may have failed to see traffic ahead of him was slowing as police were closing down the westbound lanes for the upcoming presidential motorcade to travel in. Gunderson lost control as he braked for the slowing eastbound traffic. The motorcycle skidded then fell onto its side, sliding uncontrolled in the left eastbound lane until it hit underneath a stopped 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The motorcycle came to rest near the center concrete barrier and quickly caught fire. Some witnesses pulled Mr. Gunderson away from the burning motorcycle to the far right eastbound lane. Mr. Gunderson was transported by AMR ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with critical injuries, but died this morning. The full OSP report is HERE. It’s unclear if police had enough lead time to plan a safer route in Portland.
I did a quick search and it turns out that there are many deaths across the U.S. just so the president or a dignitary doesn’t need to sit in traffic. Many are motorcycle officers, but some are similar to Mr. Gunderson being caught up in the police route.
For example, in 2006, a Honolulu officer died when he and two other motorcycle officers crashed while part of a presidential motorcade. In 2007, a police officer died after crashing his motorcycle while riding in a motorcade with President Bush. In 2008, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s only campaign swing through North Texas was cut short after a police officer in her motorcade died in a crash on the way to a rally. Also in 2008, an Albuquerque, N.M., police officer in President Bush’s motorcade died in a motorcycle crash.
I’m not blaming Obama – just pointing out that presidential motorcades aren’t safe for everyone! My condolences to Mr. Gunderson’s family.
No word if President Obama or anyone in his administration has tried to reach out to Mr. Gunderson’s family.
Photo courtesy of Oregonian and OSP.
I also offer my condolences to Mr. Gunderson’s family for their loss. However, Mac I am somewhat at a loss as to the point of this blog. Why traffic stopped during rush hours is not of importance. Bottom line here is that traffic, during rush hour stopped as it does routinely on I-84. Evidently Mr. Gunderson was not driving as defensively as he should have been, as he did not have sufficient stopping distance to get stopped in a safe manner. It was unfortunate. I also can’t find the thread of comparison between his death and those of the motorcycle officers that you listed as they were riding in a much different role and under very different conditions. You comment, in bold for emphasis apparently (?) ….”that there are many deaths across the U.S. just so the president or a dignitary doesn’t need to sit in traffic.” was out of place in my opinion.
Brett, thanks for the feedback. I could have better connected the dots in the post.
I agree that traffic rubber bands during rush hour and its routine on I-84, but in Mr. Gundersons accident the result of the presidential motorcade traveling on I-84 added to the rubber band traffic flow issue. Had the motorcade not been on I-84, well never know if the accident would have occurred. Obviously there was insufficient stopping distance, but that doesn’t tell the whole story as there were contributing factors
I did a specific search on civilian motorcade accidents and there is plenty of evidence that motorcades impact civilian motorists. Here are a just a couple examples from search results:
1. A civilian vehicle struck a Secret Service van where Bill Clinton was speaking at Yale.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/23/bill-clinton-yale-accident_n_586539.html
2. A motorcade consisting of several vehicles – one carrying former President Clinton – was slowing for traffic on northbound Route 15 when a civilian vehicle that was following behind the motorcade, rear ended the last car in the motorcade pushing that car into the motorcade vehicle directly in front of it. A second accident occurred immediately thereafter when a second civilian vehicle traveling in the right lane passed the minor accident involving motorcade cars in the left lane and sideswiped a third vehicle in the motorcade. http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?Q=460510&A=11
3. Biden’s motorcade is no stranger to accidents. The VP motorcade was involved in three: one in which NYPD at the head of his security detail crashed with a cab, injuring three; another in which a pedestrian was struck and killed by two Secret Service employees in Temple Hills, Md.; and another in which a sheriff’s deputy was hit by a car while escorting Biden’s motorcade in New Mexico.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/81063-biden-peggy-fleming-in-motorcade-accident
Again my point was that police escorts and dignitary motorcades are dangerous for both the public and law enforcement. Why? For the chosen few they race through the city in a motorcade with unfettered access, no speed limit no such thing as red lights as law enforcement ‘jack rabbits’ to cross-streets and intersections with the single most important thing being: “Keep It Moving
Civilian motorists are often confused and excited when they see all this sudden and surprising action happening around them and unfortunately its not all that unusual to have civilian accidents, some deadly.
Hey webmaster! thanks for the info!