PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As a memorial for a young mother, who police say was an innocent bystander, killed by a car racing on SE Stark last weekend grows, police are warning there will be more officers focused on traffic this Labor Day weekend.
The woman, who police identified on Thursday as 26-year-old Ashlee Diane McGill, was walking in the area early Saturday morning in Southeast Portland when police say she was hit by an “out-of-control” vehicle as a result of the driver hitting another car and then a tree.
No arrests have been made yet in connection with the deadly crash.
As of Friday, there are still candles burning, and a sign with pictures in her honor and you can see the marks on the road where those cars veered off the street.
KOIN 6 talked with people who live nearby who say they’ve seen many crashes and people speeding on SE Stark and were sad to see this death, right outside their doorstep.
“It was really hard seeing that. It hit the bus stop that we stand at. That’s scary,” said Holly Ford who lives in the neighborhood.”I really feel for her family and I hope they’re doing okay”
According to a GoFundMe set up by her family, McGill was a mom who had a “fierce love” for her young son.
“This particular incident was a spontaneous racing event that led to a fatal crash, not a large-scale takeover event,” Portland Police say, “Between calls for service, officers can make stops for traffic violations that they see. Additionally, this weekend we will have more traffic-oriented officers out due to Labor Day DUII enforcement that may come across folks engaging in reckless driving behaviors.”