Pacific Northwest - Portland: cyclists beaten by teenagers

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donnamb
01-14-07, 11:50 AM
I post this not for the sensationalism, but that the one woman who was beaten most severely has no health insurance. I'm going to call the television station and see if there is a place to send money for her medical bills. Also, I can't imagine she has a functioning bike right now.

http://www.katu.com/news/5184291.html


PORTLAND, Ore. - Two cyclists said they were attacked by three teenagers near a north Portland bus stop on Wednesday.

The women, Ashley Gorman and her co-worker Heather Moles, were riding their bikes home from work when the attack occurred near Legacy Emanuel Hospital.

The cyclists said the teen girls were standing in the bike lane waiting for the bus and they had to steer their bikes around the group. The teens may have thought the cyclists rode too closely.

The next thing she knew, one of the teens kicked out Moles' tire, causing her to fall.

"I felt the thud, and then the tire went, and I went skidding into the road," Moles said.

That's when the beating began. Three teens punched both cyclists in the head and dislocated Moles' shoulder.

Jonathan Corey was passing by and helped break up the fight, pulling the teens off the cyclists.

"It became obvious who was the aggressor in the whole equation," he said.

Corey added that the assailants were ruthless.

"I felt like I almost didn't use enough force in retrospect as I might have wanted to to make the thing stop," he said.

One witness heard a racial slur aimed at the cyclists, who said they didn't hear it. The teens were black while the cyclists were white.

The cyclists wonder whether race had anything to do with the attack. They can't understand what caused it.

"I could imagine if we had said something but nothing was said," Gorman said.

Gorman suffered the worst beating. She went to the emergency room but has no insurance to pay for it.

"I got bruised up pretty good," Gorman said. "I got my behind handed to me."

A fourth teenager with the group apparently stood by during the attack but then apologized afterward just before everybody scattered and police arrived.


Shifty
01-14-07, 11:22 PM
That is awful! Let us know if there is a fund established for her medical expenses.

Tahnks for posting this, you never know when something like this will happen.

donnamb
01-15-07, 07:00 AM
I will, but in the meantime, I believe there will be more frequent updates here (http://bikeportland.org/2007/01/14/cyclists-attacked-near-legacy-hospital/).


GaryA
01-15-07, 10:19 AM
I think we need in ride in their honor, with donations going to them. First we swing by there house and show support. Next we ride to the bus stop and hope the teenagers happen to pass by. Not advocating doing anything to them but I think it would send a pretty good message if 30-50 cyclists were hanging out at the bus stop where the ladies were beaten.

Mr. Gear Jammer
01-16-07, 08:36 PM
I post this not for the sensationalism, but that the one woman who was beaten most severely has no health insurance. I'm going to call the television station and see if there is a place to send money for her medical bills. Also, I can't imagine she has a functioning bike right now.

http://www.katu.com/news/5184291.html

Well if they are in my way guess what, i run them over. I feel really bad for those bike riders, one does not have insurance:eek: . Damn teens will just get a slap on the wrist from this, i hate the system.

donnamb
01-19-07, 07:30 PM
Here are some more details (http://bikeportland.org/2007/01/19/details-emerge-from-nopo-cyclist-attack/) of the attack from a friend of the cyclists, plus a PayPal account for the young woman with the dislocated shoulder and trashed bike. She has no health insurance and relies on her bike to get to work.

FlowerBlossom
01-19-07, 07:58 PM
Excuse my language, but, this is too ****ed. I mean, dang, the busdriver drove away with all the witnesses?

This world is getting wierder and wierder.

donnamb
01-19-07, 11:04 PM
I know. It sounds like something is brewing with the Critical Massers - like they want to take a ride into N Portland. I've never been interested in CM really, but I just might go on such a ride.