'Could've been a lot worse': Man recounts being hit by car at Portland's Creston Park

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One man is remembering a life or death situation after he claims an SUV in the middle of a park in Southeast Portland struck him on Monday.

The man, who survived the ordeal, claims he was left bloodied and bruised after the driver left the scene.

Aiden Mellies told KOIN 6 News he was sitting in the middle of Creston Park, stargazing in an open field, when a car sped through the park.

"If I wasn't aware I would be dead," he said. "I was just out at the parking just trying to relax a bit before bed and these headlights just kind of come out of my peripheral. I stand up and I turn around and the car is like directly in front of me."

That's when Mellies said what he thinks was a blue SUV going full speed was heading directly toward him.

"I jumped, and my thighs took the brunt of the impact. And then I remember being hit, and then I remember being on the ground, and the car driving away," he said.

Mellies immediately called his parents who live nearby.

"My face was completely drenched," he said. When KOIN 6 asked if it was drenched in blood, he said, "In blood, yeah."

Mellies now has deep gashes in his face with 13 stitches and a deep cut in his leg with 21 stitches.

He said he was not surprised by what happened. Other parkgoers echoed the same sentiment.

"I'm not shocked by that," said Stephen Duplechien. "I've seen evidence of people doing donuts and other things with their cars up in the park area. It's a big open field. I've seen people driving up on these pathways, I'm assuming taking their kids to the pool area but it's not a road."

Another neighbor said they won't let this stop them from coming to the park.

"We've never had a problem here," said Gina Kirkorian. "We've biked and walked since Lou was a baby in a stroller, so we love it. It's a shame the man got hit, but I don't feel unsafe here."

Mellies said although he was hit and his future at the park may look different, he doesn't want his neighbors to be afraid.

"It happened, I'm here, it's over now, I'm healing. It could've been a lot worse," he said. "Don't be afraid to live."

Mellies said he filed a police report early Tuesday morning when he was still in the hospital. Anyone with information about the suspect vehicle is encouraged to call Portland police.

KOIN 6 also reached out to the Portland Parks and Recreation for comment but the office was closed for the weekend.