Man charged with attempted murder in Portland hit-and-run

(Update: Driver arrested on attempted murder, other charges)

A 61-year-old man faces three counts of attempted murder and nine other charges, accused of driving his SUV up onto a sidewalk in downtown Portland and seriously injuring three women, then driving on.

Police Sgt. Christopher Burley identified the man as Greg Phillip Porter. He was booked into the Multnomah County Jail Friday night. Other charges included three counts each of first-degree assault, reckless driving and failure to perform the duties of a driver (felony hit-and-run).

“At this point in the investigation, the reason for Porter’s actions have not been determined,” Burley said, adding that detectives wanted to hear from anyone with information about the man that could help their investigation.

Earlier, Portland police Sgt. Pete Simpson said someone called 911 after spotting a blue sport utility vehicle that matched the description of the car near a park on the east side of Portland.

The announcement came shortly after police said they were looking for a blue 2005 Mazda Tribute with gray bumpers.

Footage from news helicopters Friday showed officers arresting the driver of the parked SUV by a park at NE 16th Avenue and Glisan Street, across the Willamette River from downtown Portland. The SUV had significant damage to its front end.

Police said earlier three women were injured when an SUV driver ran onto the sidewalk in front of a Starbucks at the Portland State University campus, police and witnesses said.

Witnesses told KGW the driver of a dark blue or purple SUV drove onto the sidewalk around 10 a.m. and struck three young women, then drove away from the scene, even stopping for traffic signals.

Portland Fire & Rescue said the crash at Southwest Sixth Avenue and Hall Street involved multiple patients taken to area hospitals.

A police spokesman said at a late-morning news conference that two of the three people injured had life-threatening injuries and a third also seriously hurt. OHSU later said they had three patients brought to them, one in critical condition, one serious and one fair.

He also said they had not determined if the crash was intentional or accidental.

The police spokesman also said they believe there might have been a fourth person hit who left the area and they want to hear from him or her.