PPB ID deadly motorcycle crash victims, urge safety amid rising fatalities

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A week after two deadly motorcycle crashes in Northeast Portland, officials have identified the victims as they work to urge safety. On July 13, officers responded to the deadly crash near NE 24th Avenue and E Burnside Street. The motorcyclist, who police identified on Tuesday as Jacob A. Jones, 32, was declared dead at the scene. The following day, police responded to another deadly motorcycle crash on Northeast Airport Way. By the time police arrived, they said that the motorcyclist, Arun Vaco Roy, 32, was dead. In 2026, Portland police said that 11 out of 25 traffic fatalities have involved motorcyclists, which is over 50% above the four-year average and double the amount recorded by this time last year. In July 2026 alone, police said there have been four fatal motorcycle crashes, all happening overnight. "What we're seeing in both our enforcement efforts and fatal crash investigations is that some motorcyclists are making unsafe choices," said Sergeant Betsy Hornstein. "We continue to see motorcyclists speeding, making sudden or unpredictable movements, lane splitting, and driving while impaired. While drivers of motor vehicles also engage in some of these behaviors, the consequences are often far more severe for motorcyclists. Motorcycles are smaller, less visible to other road users, and offer none of the protection of an enclosed vehicle." Police are reminding motorcyclists to slow down, wear protective clothing and drive sober. Nationally, officials said that motorcyclists face higher risks in crashes, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration saying that people or motorcycles are almost 27 times more likely to be killed in a crash.