Portland is so lawless drivers are now ignoring roads and speeding their cars through parks, after dystopian city defunded its police department

A Portland man was left starry-eyed after a car hit him while illegally driving through a park late at night as locals notice more drivers are taking risks in the lawless city. 

Aidan Mellies was watching the stars from Creston Park when he suddenly saw headlights from a blue SUV swing his way on July 8. 

'If I wasn't aware, I'd be dead,' Mellies told KOIN 6. 'So, I immediately stand up...and turn around and the car was directly in front of me. So, I jumped and my thighs took the brunt of the impact.' 

The incident was condemned by local politician Daniel DeMelo who said it should be a homicide investigation as he called for more roadway safety infrastructure.

It comes after Portland famously wiped out $15 million from its law enforcement budget in 2020 following nationwide activist pressure to 'defund the police' in the wake of George Floyd's murder. It was forced to partially u-turn on the decision the following year after a spike in crime. 

Mellies, who is now sporting a large Band-Aid above his eye, remembers getting hit and then watching the car drive away without stopping. 

'My face was completely drenched in blood,' Mellies said. 'It could have been a lot worse.'  

He filed a report with the Portland Police, but no arrests have been made, the department told DailyMail.com. 

DeMelo, who is running for 3rd District City Council, called out unlawful drivers, writing on X: 'We need bollards and other roadway safety infrastructure – and we need drivers to understand that they will be held accountable for illegal, unsafe, antisocial behavior.' 

He suggested Mellies' case be 'investigated with the vigor of a homicide investigation.'

'Any car unlawfully parked on the lawn of a @PDXParksandRec facility should be heavily fined, booted, and towed. There is no excuse for this behavior,' he wrote. 

A Reddit post about the incident revealed Mellies 'glasses, keys, and headphones' had been launched '30 feet behind him,' due to the force of the impact. 

The car reportedly obtained a 'smashed windshield and dented hood,' according to the post. Portland Police could not confirm to DailyMail.com if the car that struck Mellies had any damage. 

The man called his parents, who live nearby, after the hit-and-run and had to receive stitches on his face and thighs. 

Mellies isn't the only resident to encounter dangerous drivers inside Creston Park. 

Stephen Duplechien has seen people 'doing donuts' and other things, especially near the dog park and driving on the pathways, he told KOIN 6. 

'It's not a road,' he said. 

However, Portland residents Gina Kirkorian insisted she hadn't had any issues in the park, saying: 'We love [the park].' 

Mellies still encourages his other Portlanders to 'not be afraid to live' and said he plans to still enjoy the park himself. 

Portland residents claim the city as it has descended into chaos in recent years since its move to partially defund its police. 

The city reversed its decision after homelessness and crime surged. But Portland residents have started considering jumping ship, a 2023 poll found. 

'This city has been through a lot of trauma,' Mayor Ted Wheeler previously said. 'My message to people who are disillusioned are two-fold.

'First, I hear you and I empathize with your frustration with what the city has been through,' he continued. 'I would also encourage you to stick around because the tide has already turned.'

DailyMail.com has contacted Mayor Wheeler's Office and Portland Parks and Recreation for comment. 

Crime is down in Portland compared to the same time last year. There were 22,855 crimes in the first six months of 2024, compared to the 27,842 between January and May 2023, city crime statistics show.