Responders help woman in ‘self-harm’ incident on 13th

According to police and witnesses, a 27-year-old Hood River woman apparently jumped in front of a van heading north on 13th, just north of Montello Street.

“It looked like an intentional act of jumping into the roadway, and by her own admission, self-harm,” said Hood River Police Lieut. Don Cheli.

“She had those tendencies, and she said she was trying to hurt herself,” Cheli said.

The woman suffered minor injuries, but Mid-Columbia Center for Living was called in and she was kept at the hospital for mental evaluation. She was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt, and heavily-worn socks

The driver, Jim Brown of Hood River, said as he was driving on 13th when he saw the woman on the sidewalk.

“She jumped into the roadway. I tried to stop, but couldn’t in time. If I hadn’t hit her, the car coming up the hill probably would have,” said Brown, who was unhurt.

Cheli said the woman had been at the ER, a half-block away, and left on foot.

“The ER staff were trying to talk to her and get her to come back and she was trying to get away from them,” Cheli said.

One witness said she saw Brown brake his vehicle and hit the woman, who fell to the pavement and then sat up and cried out, “I don’t want to be here anymore.” The woman was placed in a protective backboard and transported by Parkdale Fire Department ambulance to the ER.

Cheli said the case is under investigation, but charges against the woman are unlikely. “Considering the mental health aspect of it, probably not,” Cheli said.