A bicyclist who suffered a broken jaw, broken teeth and permanent scarring to his face when he catapulted into the back window of an SUV in North Portland is suing the driver for nearly $319,000.

Karl Thomas Zickrick crashed into the Ford Expedition, he says, because he was taking evasive action as the driver began to enter the bicycle lane at what's known as a particularly dangerous intersection for cyclists. Portland police, however, issued a news release after the June 6, 2012, accident and stated that the driver wasn't cited because he yielded properly to the cyclist.

Zickrick strongly disagrees with the Police Bureau’s take, as evidenced by his lawsuit filed this week in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Zickrick, then 30, was cycling westbound in the bicycle lane on North Broadway as it approached North Wheeler Avenue, just a few blocks east of the Broadway Bridge. It was 6:17 a.m. on a Wednesday.

All according to the suit:

Driver Michael Scott McLerran, 59, also was traveling in the same direction and began to turn right. His front fender and passenger side wheel entered the bicycle lane.

Zickrick “took evasive action to move to the left side and avoid striking the vehicle as it passed over the bicycle lane.” That’s when McLerran “suddenly stopped” in front of Zickrick, and Zickrick shot through the back window.

Zickrick's Portland attorney, Ray Thomas, said police aren't disputing that the SUV's front tire entered the bike lane. But, Thomas said, because the driver abruptly stopped and didn't completely block off the bike lane, police determined Zickrick could have passed safely on the right. And thus, police concluded the driver wasn't at fault, Thomas said.

"I don't think it's really fair to shift the blame because somebody guessed wrong about what was going to happen," Thomas said, referring to Zickrick's split-second decision to veer left.

Bikeportland.org posted some photos of the crash scene, courtesy of footage that KGW's chopper recorded. The blog also attributed a first-hand account to Zickrick.

Zickrick is seeking $39,770 in past medical expenses; $30,000 for future medical expenses that could include plastic surgery to repair scars on his face and replacement of his dental implants; $500 for his damaged bike; $672 in lost wages and $250,000 for pain and suffering.

-- Aimee Green