Jason’s bike in a photo taken on the Smith and Bybee path, April 2023. (Right) Jason and his dog, Eddie Spaghetti. (Photos via Jason’s Facebook page)
Four months after 43-year-old Rose City Park neighborhood resident Jason Ruhmshottel was killed in a traffic collision, his family is still searching for closure and answers.
According to his sister, Christina Cuanalo, Jason spent his free time playing video games, collecting Funko Pops, and reading. He loved 80’s horror villains such as Freddy Kruger and his favorite author was Stephen King. He ate healthy, but had a weakness for See’s Candy and ice cream. He loved coffee and would rave about a new ground he tried.
Jason lived in Portland his entire life. He attended Jefferson High School and moved to an apartment near NE 53rd and I-84 in 2016. With a degree in Criminal Justice from Portland Community College, Ruhmshottel worked for the Transportation Security Administration at the Portland Airport before switching jobs in to work as a security officer at the Columbia Sportswear warehouse off of North Marine Drive.
Estimated view of driver on N Portland Rd. Jason was coming from the right.
Looking northwest at the collision point with bike path on the left.Jason worked the graveyard shift at the warehouse, which is located adjacent to the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area. When he began that job, he commuted via TriMet bus and walking — a journey Google Maps says takes one hour and 37 minutes. But four years ago, a close family friend gave Jason a bicycle and he began to ride it every day.
Jason could get to work by bike about 30 minutes quicker than taking the bus on a route familiar to many BikePortland readers: the Columbia Slough path between North Vancouver Avenue and Portland Road, then the final two miles along the path that skirts the northern edge of Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area.
“Jason found he enjoyed biking a lot,” Cuanalo shared in an email to BikePortland. “He loved the Smith Bybee trail and often took pics and shared dog treats to passing dogs on the trail.“
Like many of us, Jason’s bike soon became more than just a tool to get to work. “He began adding lighting and features to it, and he bought a manual and did all his repairs himself,” Cuanalo recalled. “He was proud of his bike and told family and many coworkers how much he enjoyed biking.”
Photos on Jason’s Facebook page feature his bike (beaming with lights laced into his spokes) parked on the trail and his main header photo is a view of the wetlands. I could pinpoint the location instantly since I’ve spent many days staring into the trees at the exact same spot.
I also know the the intersection where Jason was hit; but probably not as well as he did. He would have crossed it twice a day to get to work and back.
On that fateful Thursday morning of September 19th, Jason was biking home after a long graveyard shift. It was about one hour before sunrise when, according to an investigation by the Portland Police Bureau, Jason rolled out from the carfree path onto North Portland Road, just as a driver was heading southbound at around 45 mph.
Jason came in contact with the passenger side of the driver’s car (a 2012 Mazda CX7 small SUV) and likely died instantly. A Portland Police officer who responded to the scene, noted in the police report that he saw a, “small, crescent-shaped tire mark that, based on my training and experience, had been deposited by the front tire of Ruhmshottel’s bicycle.”
Jason’s bike was found 85 feet away. The front wheel and forks were completely sheared off.
It’s the conclusion of the PPB crash reconstruction experts that the Mazda driver could not have done anything to avoid hitting Jason. They based that on testimony from the driver and another witness who was driving a car directly behind the Mazda. They say the driver wasn’t impaired or distracted, and that he was driving around 45-50 mph (posted speed limit is 45).
The driver told PPB officers that Jason emerged from the bike path, “Out of nowhere and without warning.” The police report notes that, “The multi-use path has streetlights but they are not functioning. This makes it very difficult to see pedestrians and cyclists as they approach the roadway from the northwest.” The report also notes that, “The cyclist was dressed in mostly black clothing, accessories, and riding a mostly black bike.”
Below is an excerpt from the conclusion of the police investigation:
… Ruhmshottel entered the roadway in front of him there was not enough time and distance for [the driver] to avoid a collision.
According to the Oregon Bicycling Manual, when riding on paths, you should “slow down and be sure drivers see you” when crossing a driveway or street. If Ruhmshottel had adhered to these state recommended guidelines and adhered to ORS I believe this crash could have been avoided.
I find the primary causation of this crash is Ruhmshottel failing to yield to vehicular traffic on N Portland Rd and riding out into traffic. I find a secondary causation to this crash is visibility issues related to lightning and Ruhmshottel’s clothing not contrasting with the background.
That version of events doesn’t seem plausible to Jason’s sister.
“I do not believe my brother would run out in front of traffic,” Cuanalo shared. “This is not who he was.” She said Jason’s co-workers have told her he would always talk about how fast people drove on streets in the area and that he was aware of the risks of riding at night. Now she’s seeking legal advice and is working with BikeLoud PDX to erect a ghost bike to add to the framed picture and flowers she’s maintained at the site since her brother’s death.
Jason is survived by his beloved dog, “Eddie Spaghetti,” as well as his mom Jill Ruhmshottel, nephew Jordan, nieces Michelle, Melissa and Mindy, and his best friend Richard Bigelow (among other distant relatives). See more photos and remembrances at his memorial page.
