Kurtis Linn UPDATED 5:55 p.m.:
A Portland man told police he had two alcoholic drinks before racing a random driver in Gresham early Sunday, crashing into another car, then hitting and killing another man riding his bike, court documents show.
Kurtis Linn told Gresham police officers from an OHSU Hospital bed that he challenged the driver of a Honda Civic to a race along Southeast Stark Street, hit his brakes and steered his Chevy Blazer away when he thought the Honda was going to hit him and crashed, a probable cause affidavit said.
His blood alcohol content was still above the legal limit when his blood was tested about 17 hours after the crash, the affidavit said. He told police he drank two jack and cokes before driving.
It's not clear from the court papers what his blood alcohol content was or how far Linn raced before the crash. The collisions occurred around 1:50 a.m. near Southeast Stark Street and 212th Avenue.
Linn, 23, was booked into the Multnomah County jail a little after midnight Monday on suspicion of second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving. He is accused of causing the death of Albert Sawdon.
Another driver told investigators he saw Linn's Chevy and the Honda Civic speeding around 55-60 mph behind him while heading west on Southeast Stark Street and swerving around other cars, the affidavit said. The witness said the Chevy went into oncoming traffic, hit a Ford Escape, spun around and hit Sawdon on his bike.
The crash sent Linn and his Chevy into a field on the south side of the road, the affidavit said. The speed limit on that section of Southeast Stark is 35 mph.
The driver of the Ford Escape wasn't injured, the affidavit said. He told police he slammed on his brakes when he saw the SUV coming toward him, but still couldn't avoid being hit head on.
Dash camera footage from the Ford and surveillance video from a nearby business also showed Linn crashing into the Ford and then Sawdon, the affidavit said.
Linn has no prior criminal history, Oregon court records show.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash on Sunday to contact them at 503-618-2719.
-- Everton Bailey Jr.
ebailey@oregonian.com
503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey