GRESHAM, OR — A construction flagger injured in an early Monday hit and run in Gresham has died at the hospital, police said. Miguel Jimenez, 50, was struck while working near Northeast Hogan Drive and Division Street around 5 a.m.
Investigators said the driver of a white sedan hit Jimenez and kept going without stopping to check on him. Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Gresham police said the crash happened in a work zone and quickly became a Vehicular Crimes Team investigation. Officers closed Hogan Drive between Division and Burnside while they examined the scene and redirected traffic.
Police Investigation
The Gresham Police Department said its Vehicular Crimes Team is working to identify the driver and hold that person responsible. Police Chief Travis Gullberg said Jimenez had been helping keep streets safe for other road workers and the broader community.
Gullberg called the death a painful reminder of the risks construction workers face every day. He said officers and investigators would work diligently on the case.
At this point, police have not publicly released a suspect description beyond the white sedan, and they have not said how fast the vehicle was traveling or whether witnesses saw the crash. The department is asking anyone with helpful information to come forward.
Road Closures
The investigation forced a closure on Hogan Drive between Division and Burnside, a busy stretch near the crash scene. Police asked drivers to avoid the area and choose alternate routes while investigators worked.
That response likely slowed morning travel in the surrounding neighborhood, especially for drivers heading through the Division Street corridor. Officials did not announce a timeline for reopening the road.
Work zone enforcement often depends on witness accounts, nearby cameras and vehicle debris, and police are treating this case as a serious hit and run. The department has emphasized that road crews and drivers share the same space and that caution matters around active construction zones.
How To Help
Police are asking anyone who saw the crash or has information about the vehicle to contact Officer Trevor Polverini by email at Trevor.Polverini@GreshamOregon.Gov. Tips can also be sent through the Gresham Police tip line at 503-618-2719.
A toll-free tip number is also available at 1-888-989-3505. Investigators want any detail that could help identify the driver who left the scene.
Jimenez’s death underscores the danger faced by people working along busy streets before sunrise. Police said drivers should pay attention, slow down in work zones, move over when possible and, if they cannot change lanes, reduce speed to give workers more room.
Work Zone Warning
Gresham police used the case to reinforce basic work zone safety steps for motorists. They said distracted driving remains a leading cause of work zone crashes, making attention behind the wheel especially important.
Officials also noted that posted work zone speed limits are reduced for everyone’s safety. Drivers are urged to treat those limits seriously and expect workers to be present even when visibility is low.
The department’s message was simple: road crews are protecting the public while doing a dangerous job, and drivers have a role in keeping them safe. In this case, investigators are still trying to determine who killed Jimenez and why the sedan fled.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
