At approximately 11:00 p.m. last evening, March 16, 2011, Portland Police responded to a pedestrian hit and run crash at Northeast 91st Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard. Witnesses at the scene told officers the vehicle was last seen westbound on Northeast Sandy Boulevard and described the car as a tan or brown van or SUV with front end damage.
Following an area search of the neighborhoods near the crash, officers located the vehicle abandoned near Northeast Alberta Street and Northeast 82nd Avenue. The 1993 Mercury Villager Van was recovered from that location. After further investigation, officers learned the driver of the van, 36-year-old Aaron Arrell, was staying at a motel near Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Northeast 97th Avenue. Arrell was taken into custody from that location by the Major Crash Team investigators.
Investigators learned the 47-year-old victim was attempting to cross Northeast Sandy Boulevard from the south to the north near Northeast 91st Avenue shortly after 10:00 p.m. Arrell was driving westbound on Sandy when he struck her and then fled the crash scene. Arrell was charged with Hit and Run and Manslaughter in the First Degree. He was lodged in the downtown Multnomah County Facility this morning.
The identification of the victim is being withheld until family can be notified.
