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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 2022)
PAGE A6, KEIZERTIMES, FEBRUARY 04, 2022 AFTERMATH: ‘It showed the empathy that was there' Continued from page A1 Graduates Facebook page on Jan. 22. Nicole Garcia, a former student of Hughes, said Hughes had been one of the fi rst teachers she had in the Chemeketa Nursing program. “The very fi rst day of my fi rst year in the program we had an orientation and in walk all the scary professors and you're kind of feeling them out, seeing which one is the most intimidating,” Garcia said. “In walks Moira with one of her ther- apy dogs. And I immediately was like, there's something about somebody who would bring a therapy dog to work with them for their nursing school students. It showed the empathy that was there.” Garcia said that Hughes would often bring her therapy dogs to class and it made an impact on her. Garcia now works with foster kids in the Department of Human Services and for years has wanted to get a therapy dog for her work. One week before Hughes passed, Garcia adopted a puppy to begin training as a therapy dog. “I had been actually working on an email to Moira with a bunch of ques- tions and to let her know, that she was the inspiration for (the puppy). When I heard about her death, it was just one of those things where you always think you're going to have time to say some- thing to somebody. And I never was able to do that. But she's left a legacy for many reasons,” Garcia said. Following Heitz’s death on Jan. 29, Keizer police said that Modine, the alleged drunk driver, will be charged with an additional count of Manslaughter in the First Degree. According to a Keizer police offi cer’s probable cause statement, Modine was driving his Gray Dodge pick-up truck on the morning of Jan. 22 when he struck a power pole and swerved the side of a home on Trail Avenue in Keizer. A neigh- bor, according to the offi cer's statement, said that she believed Heitz and Hughes were inside the room the vehicle had driven into. The offi cer’s statement said, “It was discovered Mr. Heitz was on a bed in the room, trapped under the vehicle.” A blood draw done at Salem Hospital following the crash showed that Modine had a .24 blood alcohol content, three times the legal limit, according to the offi cer’s statement. Modine has now been charged with two counts of fi rst-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endan- germent, reckless driving, driving under the infl uence of intoxicants, driving while criminally suspended, second-de- gree criminal mischief and a probation violation. Modine has lodged at Marion County Correctional Facility and was denied bail on Jan. 24. He was set to have an arraign- ment hearing on Jan. 31 but after Heitz’s death and the additional charge, it was rescheduled to Feb. 2. Affected by the Oregon wildfires? Connect today to find resources to help you recover. Open 24/7, every day. 1-833-669-0554 Interpreters available. When I heard about her death, it was just one of those things where you always think you're going o have time to say something to somebody. And I never was able to do that,” —NICOLE GARCIA, former student of Moira Hughes You’re Invited Join us on Facebook for Breaking News and Mid-Week News Updates Keizertimes on