Portland, OR – Epifanio Ruiz, Jorge Cortez & Gabriel Ortiz Killed in Drunk Driving Crash on Highway 99

Portland, OR (October 4, 2022) – A fatal collision took place in Marion County early Sunday morning that ultimately took the lives of three people. On October 2, the Oregon State police responded to a crash on Highway 99 East.

Preliminary reports provided by OS P indicate that at 2:45 a.m., 21-year-old Epifanio Ruiz was driving south in a Toyota Corolla on Highway 99 E. For reasons unknown, his vehicle collided with a Honda Accord.

Ruiz suffered severe injuries in the crash. He was life-flighted to a nearby hospital, where he passed away from his injuries. Ruiz was determined to have a blood alcohol level of 0.24 percent.

A passenger in his vehicle, 22-year-old Jorge Cortez, and the driver of the Honda, 26-year-old Gabriel Ortiz, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation at this time.

We offer our condolences to the families of Jorge Cortez, Gabriel Ortiz, and Epifanio Ruiz at this time

Fatal Car Accidents in Oregon

Each year, countless people die as a result of vehicle collisions in the state of Oregon. Unfortunately, impaired driving is one of the leading factors in many accidents that we see across our state. Impairment doesn’t just refer to drunk driving. It can also refer to driving while under the influence of drugs, whether they be prescription medication or illegal substances. Either way, it’s important to be aware of how your medications or substances may affect your ability to drive before getting behind the wheel.

When innocent people die as a result of drunk or impaired drivers, families are often able to pursue legal action against the responsible party. Following the loss of your loved one, a Portland wrongful death lawyer can help you seek financial compensation for the damages you face. This can include compensation for:

• Funeral Costs: You may be able to recover the costs of your loved one’s funeral and burial. This can include the cost of the casket, funeral home services, and headstones.
• Lost Earning Capacity: If your loved one was working at the time of their death, you may be able to recover their lost earnings. This includes the wages and benefits they would have earned had they not died.
• Loss of Companionship: You may also be able to recover from the loss of your loved one’s companionship. This includes the loss of love, affection, society, and support.

One of the most important things to do after a fatal car crash is to immediately contact an experienced Portland wrongful death attorney. An attorney can help you navigate the complex legal process and ensure that you are fairly compensated for your losses.

Our lawyers at Kivel & Howard have extensive experience helping people across the state of Oregon get justice following the loss of their loved ones. Contact our law firm today at (503) 796-0909 and (503) 802-4800 to schedule a consultation so we can get started on your case today.

Note:  We utilize several outside sources when creating this accident news post for Kivel & Howard.  Our sources include news and media outlets, state and local police incident reports as well as statements taken from individuals who have witnessed the accident.  Because of this, the facts surrounding this accident have not been independently verified by our writing staff.  If you find any information that is inaccurate in our story, let us know and we will correct the post to reflect the most accurate information available.  We will remove this post from our site upon request.

Disclaimer: These posts are written with the intent to provide Oregonians with overall driving and safety information in an effort to reduce the number of serious accidents that take place on our roads and highways. These posts are not intended to provide medical or legal advice of any kind.  The photograph used in this story is not representative of the actual accident scene.