Appeal Tribune Wednesday, October 18, 2017 3B
Driver had .318% BAC following fatal crash
LAUREN E HERNANDEZ
AND WHITNEY M. WOODWORTH
Investigators said that Favian
Garcia had a blood-alcohol
level of .318 percent, almost
four times the legal limit, at
the time of the crash.
STATESMAN JOURNAL
The driver in a Marion County crash
that killed a woman and four children
had a blood-alcohol level of .318 percent
— almost four times the legal limit, in-
vestigators said Oct. 10.
A Marion County judge deemed Fa-
vian Garcia "a danger to the public if re-
leased" and ordered him held without
bail.
With his arm in a sling, Garcia, 27, of
Gervais, appeared for arraignment be-
fore Judge Rafael Caso Oct. 10.
The four children killed in the head-
on collision were identified by Oregon
State Police earlier in the day.
Ivan Ricardo Medrano-Contreras, 8,
Andrus Medrano-Contreras, 6, Dayana-
ra Medrano-Perez, 4, and Angelina Vaz-
quez-Crisp, 2, died when Garcia crashed
a Land Rover head-on into a Buick Cen-
tury driven by Lisette Medrano-Perez,
25, of Molalla, on Highway 99E north of
Salem Sunday.
Medrano-Perez was driving to Salem
with her three children and a 2-year-old
niece. All five family members died at
the scene.
Medrano-Perez was the 2-year-old's
temporary legal guardian, said Oregon
State Police Lt. Cari Boyd. She was set to
be adopted by another family member
next week.
Tony Mann, superintendent of the
Molalla River School District, con-
firmed the two sons attended Molalla El-
ementary School as first and third grad-
ers. The school is providing counseling
service and family support to class-
mates shaken by the tragedy.
Medrano-Perez brought energy and
compassion to her role at Pheasant
Pointe, an assisted living center located
on a sleepy residential street in Molalla,
The crash occurred at Highway 99E and Nevada Street. PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON STATE POLICE
said Chelsea Slaven, the home's execu-
tive director.
"You'll notice how quiet it is right
now," Slaven said, gesturing to a silent
lobby of residents. "We're all trying to go
forward and do what we can to support
our residents, our team members and
our community as a whole."
Slaven said Medrano-Perez had a
"heart of gold" and always went above
and beyond for her coworkers.
Just last Friday, she visited the assist-
ed living center on her day off to sur-
prise one of her coworkers with a birth-
day gift.
"Anyone working in assisted living
has a heart of gold and Lisette was cer-
tainly an example of that," Slaven said.
When Medrano-Perez left work over
the weekend, Slaven said it was just like
any other day. She said "see you soon"
with a broad smile on her face before
walking out of the yellow living facility
and down the curb lined with trees.
"I expected to see her again," Slaven
said with tears in her eyes.
Garcia, who was not the registered
owner of the Land Rover, was traveling
north when he collided with the family's
car while rounding a corner.
Garcia told a trooper responding to
the crash that he had "a hangover all day."
He was taken to the hospital with mi-
nor injuries. At the hospital, another
trooper said Garcia smelled of alcohol.
According to a probable cause state-
ment, his eyes were glassy and blood-
shot. He slurred his words and refused a
blood test.
Garcia was arrested on five counts of
first-degree manslaughter, DUI, reck-
less driving and driving with a suspend-
ed license.
According to prosecutor Tiffany Un-
derwood, it was Garcia's third time ap-
pearing on DUI charges. He allegedly
struck a parked car in Woodburn and lost
his bumper in July. When he returned to
retrieve his bumper, he was arrested.
His blood-alcohol content was .28 per-
cent. A warrant was issued for his arrest
after he failed to appear for his arraign-
ment.
He also was facing charges out of
Marion County for intentionally pre-
venting a convenience store clerk from
calling 911 in April. Woodburn police re-
ported that Garcia became angry at the
clerk after she refused to sell him alco-
hol at 4:55 a.m.
When she told him she was going to
call the police, he disconnected her
phone three times.
Police later found Garcia standing in
his apartment complex parking lot,
where he was slurring his words and
stumbling.
He also was convicted of DUI in 2011
in Marion County and for interfering
with a Gervais police officer in 2013.
This pattern of drunk driving showed
Garcia would be a danger to the commu-
nity if released from jail, Underwood
said. She requested that he be denied
bail.
Caso ordered that Garcia be held
without bail at Marion County jail.
His next hearing is scheduled for a
hearing on Oct. 18.
For questions, comments and news
tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth
at
wmwoodwort@statesmanjour-
nal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on
Twitter @wmwoodworth
Deputy of Oregon Department of Ed. forced to quit
NATALIE PATE
STATESMAN JOURNAL
Salam Noor, deputy superintendent of
the Oregon Department of Education,
has resigned.
Gov. Kate Brown "asked Salam Noor
to resign because she was not satisfied
with his ability to execute her vision for
Oregon’s education system," said Chris
Pair, a spokesman for the governor's of-
fice.
The deputy superintendent oversees
the education of more than a half-million
students in more than 1,200 public and
charter schools across Oregon.
Brown announced Noor's departure
Oct. 11. His resignation letter is available
on the governor's public records web-
site.
Brown appointed Education Innova-
tion Officer Colt Gill to serve as acting
deputy
superintendent,
effective
Wednesday. Chief Education Officer
Lindsey Capps will lead the recruitment
effort for a permanent replacement.
Noor was appointed by Brown as dep-
uty superintendent in July 2015. After
his resignation was announced, various
education leaders in the state issued
comments about his work on the state
plan for the federal Every Student Suc-
ceeds Act.
"Salam has been a steady and passion-
ate voice for students and championed a
vision for a well-rounded education for
the department," said John Larson, presi-
dent of the Oregon Education Associa-
tion.
"His work to move our state toward a
more balanced system of assessment
and bringing together all stakeholders to
develop Oregon’s ESSA plan have laid
the foundation for a brighter future.”
Noor was not able to be reached.
In 2011, legislation made the governor
the Superintendent of Schools with the
authority to appoint a deputy to run the
Oregon Department of Education. The
deputy superintendent works closely
with chief education officer, whose of-
fice is separate from the education de-
partment.
Gill, a former superintendent of the
Bethel School District in Eugene, was ap-
pointed education innovation officer in
2016. He was tasked with advancing the
governor's goal of increasing the num-
ber of students completing high school.
In Gill’s 10 years with the Bethel
Salam Noor, pictured, the deputy superintendent of the Oregon Department of Education, was
asked to resign by Gov. Kate Brown, Chris Pair, a spokesman for the governor's office said.
ANNA REED / STATESMAN JOURNAL
School District, he "consistently im-
proved graduation rates for historically
underserved students," according to of-
ficials in the governor's office.
"Colt has cultivated strong partner-
ships with rural and urban school dis-
tricts, communities, and students, rec-
ommending policies that will improve
student success in every corner of the
state," Brown said in a statement.
Gubernatorial candidate Rep. Knute
Buehler, R-Bend, said Noor's resignation
is evidence of Brown’s ineffective lead-
ership regarding education.
"The revolving staff doors across the
entire Brown Administration reflect
poor judgment in hiring and a lack of vi-
sion that even her own staff can’t follow,"
Buehler said in a statement.
Contact
Natalie
Pate
at
npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-
6745, or follow her on Twitter @Nataliem-
pate or on Facebook at www.Face-
book.com/nataliepatejournalist
VLOYHUWRQDSSHDOFRP
JOBS.STATESMANJOURNAL.COM
STATESMANJOURNAL.COM/HOMES
TRUST THE HOMETOWN EXPERTS AT SILVERTON REALTY
SERVING THE
EAST VALLEY SINCE 1975
Kristen Barnes
Broker
503.873.3545 ext. 326
Marcia Branstetter
Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 318
Mary Cam
Broker
503-873-3545 ext. 320
Micha Christman
Offi ce Manager
503-873-1425
Becky Craig
Broker
873-3545 ext. 313
Michael Schmidt
Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 314
Meredith Wertz
Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 324
Ryan Wertz
Broker
873-3545 ext. 322
Chuck White
Broker
873-3545 ext. 325
Christina Williamson
Broker
873-3545 ext. 315
Mason Branstetter
Principal Broker, GRI
873-3545 ext. 303
KEIZER
NEW
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
#A2422
WONDERFULLY UPDATED
4 BR, 3.5 BA, 2733 SQFT CALL
MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT
EXT. 322 $389,900 (WVMLS#722076)
#A2432
PRIVATE LOCATION
4 BR, 3 BA 2680 SQFT 3.200 ACRES
CALL MEREDITH AT
EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322
$519,880 (WVMLS#724206)
#A2383, A2384
CREEK FRONTAGE
2 LOTS 1.1 ACRES & 1.09 ACRES
CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318
$179,000 & $162,000
(WVMLS#715865 & 715869)
#A2402
WONDERFUL ESTATE
5 BR, 4 BA 3751 SQFT
CALL MEREDITH AT EXT. 324,
RYAN AT EXT. 322
$549,900 (WVMLS#720151)
#A2436
QUIET RETREAT
3 BR, 2.5 BA, 3273 SQFT CALL
KIRSTEN AT EXT. 326 OR
CHUCK AT EXT. 325 $559,900
(WVMLS#724403)
#A2411
READY FOR DREAM HOME
.34 ACRES CALL MEREDITH AT
EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322
$79,900 (WVMLS#709283)
NEW-SALEM
SILVERTON
SILVERTON
SALEM
SILVERTON
NEW-SILVERTON
#A2424
GREAT COUNTRY HOME
3 BR 3 BA 2808 SQFT
CALL CHUCK AT EXT. 325
$645,000 (WVMLS#722233)
#A2429
BUILDABLE 2.85 ACRES
2.85 ACRES CALL MEREDITH
AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT EXT. 322
$225,000 (WVMLS#724203)
#A2437
SUNSET VIEWS
5 BR 3 BA 2634 SQFT 31.87 ACRES
CALL MICHAEL AT EXT. 314
$649,900 (WVMLS#724661)
#A2416
#A2354
#A2435
3 HOME INVESTMENT PROPERTY
LOTS OF POTENTIAL
UPDATED 1950’S HOME
4 BR, 3 BA 1776 SQFT
5 BR, 6 BA, 6057 SQFT CALL
3 BR, 2.5 BA 1725 SQFT CALL
MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT
CALL MARCIA AT EXT. 318
MEREDITH AT EXT. 324, RYAN AT
$399,000 (WVMLS#711358)
EXT. 322 $649,900 (WVMLS#721150)
EXT. 322 $279,900 (WVMLS#724469)
Brokers licensed in Oregon
WWW.SILVERTONREALTY.COM | 303 OAK STREET | SILVERTON
Call us today! 503.873.3545 | 1-800-863-3545
FOR RENT
Call Micha
at 503-873-1425
or see them on our website.