BEAVERTON, Ore. (KOIN) — A Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy who was hit in a fatal car crash Wednesday is still in the hospital, as are three students from Southridge High School. Meanwhile, the family and friends of two students killed in the crash are mourning the loss of the ones they love.
“It just sucks that their life got cut so fast and so sudden,” said Abel Navarro.
Navarro knew both students killed in the crash, Matthew Amaya and Juan Pablo Pacheco Aguilera.
Amaya and Navarro were cousins, though both being only-children growing up one year apart from each other, their bond was much stronger.
“He was more of a brother instead of a cousin,” Navarro said. “We had the same issues in the past so we could really relate to it.”
A relationship more like siblings brought out a similar rivalry in their trucks: Navarro drove a red Ford F-150, and Amaya had a blue Chevy Silverado.
Amaya, a passenger in the car that hit Deputy Trotter’s cruiser, died doing something he and Abel would often do. Cruising the streets while they listened to music and talked about life was one of their favorite things to do together.
“He told me…when we are older we’re going to drive Ferraris and I’m going to be the best uncle and you’re going to be the best uncle to my kids,” Navarro recalled. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s how we’re going to do it.’ But, it shows one life decision can affect everything else.”
Thousands of dollars have flooded into online fundraisers for all the families involved.
Money raised for Deputy Trotter has already crossed the $80,000 dollar mark. Navarro created the fundraiser to benefit his aunt, already raising over $10,000.
The dollar amounts aside, it’s a reminder of the impact his cousin, who he calls Mateo, had on people around him.
“He had a big impact to the community because he was very kind, very respectful, funny guy. You just can’t have an issue with him, he’s just so nice and just the perfect person in general.”
The Tualitan Valley Highway has always scared Navarro, he says he’s avoided a crash at the same intersection Amaya was killed.
Navarro hopes other young drivers take this crash as a lesson because he certainly will.
“Speed took my cousin,” he said. “I’m not going to speed anymore.”