On October 21, 2023, James Brian Fenimore was walking on the sidewalk on SE 82nd Avenue near Burnside Street, heading to run an errand, when a drunk driver veered off the street and struck him with a minivan. Fenimore died as a result of the crash. According to Montavilla News, Fenimore, 66, was an artist who previously lived in the low-income housing complex Milepost 5 in Montavilla. The complex housed an artist collective that Fenimore.
Nearly 10 years ago, the city of Portland first committed to a Vision Zero plan, setting a goal to eliminate all traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries on Portland’s streets by 2025. That year, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) reported 35 traffic crash deaths in Portland. City officials said at the time they didn’t take the rising traffic crash death toll lightly, and were strongly dedicated to the Vision Zero goals. It’s now 2024,.
Dozens of cyclists gathered in Portland to honor the memory of David Bentley in what they said was a call to action to make streets safer for everyone.