Authorities in Portland have recovered a vehicle from the Willamette River nearly two weeks after a deadly crash that claimed the lives of three young people.
Police and towing crews on Tuesday lifted the heavily damaged Toyota Corolla from the river, where it had remained since the early hours of April 6. The recovery operation took more than two hours, using a heavy-duty crane after divers located the submerged vehicle and secured it with straps.
The car showed severe damage, with a shattered windshield, deployed airbags, and a collapsed roof as it was hoisted from the water and guided onto the riverbank.
According to investigators, four people were inside the vehicle when it veered off course and plunged into the river. Only one survived.
Police said the crash followed a brief pursuit after an officer spotted the driver, identified as 19-year-old Roberto Garcia-Chavez, allegedly speeding the wrong way down one-way streets and running red lights in downtown Portland around 2 a.m. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled, ultimately driving through Tom McCall Waterfront Park and into the river.
Garcia-Chavez, along with passengers Trent Badillo, 17, and Jakob Esperum, 20, died in the crash. Two of the victims were recovered on the day of the incident, while Esperum’s body was located about a week later by volunteer divers.
The lone survivor, 17-year-old DJ Buckner, managed to escape the submerged vehicle. According to his family, he later described waking up inside the car underwater and swimming to the surface.
Relatives said the group had spent the evening downtown riding electric scooters before heading home when the crash occurred.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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