Oakridge police: 'We've got to try to move on'
OAKRIDGE, Ore. -- Oregon State Police and the Lane County District attorney have determined a 91-year-old woman caused a crash involving an Oakridge police officer last October.
A 17-page report compiled by Oregon State Police finds 91-year-old Virginia Spalinger at fault. She died in the crash.
The report says she failed to yield to an emergency vehicle.
Officer Daniel Miller, who suffered serious injuries, has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
"It was very easy to determine that in this case there was going to be no criminal prosecution," said Chris Parosa with the Lane County District Attorney's Office.
Parosa said Spalinger was at a traffic light on Crestview Street in Oakridge, Ore., when she turned left onto State Route 58 in front of the officer. The officer was chasing a speeding driver.
KVAL News spoke with Spalinger's son, Edwin. He told us he's planning his own lawsuit. His attorney, Clark Deichler with Kramer and Associates, said he is not satisfied with the outcome and is in the middle of his own investigation into the incident.
Parosa with the district attorney said witness accounts were the key.
"It contains witness statements from about 12 different people at different vantage points during this incident," he said of the report, "all of which actually observed the crash occur. "
One witness said Spalinger passed through a flashing yellow light.
Seven of the witnesses reported the officer traveling at a high rate of speed. The speed limit at that intersection is 35 miles per hour.
The investigation determined the officer's car had lights and sirens on and that he had the right of way.
"As I've said from the beginning, it's a tragic accident that's affected the community and the involved families," said Chief Louis Gomez with the Oakridge Police Department.
KVAL News asked how he would respond to people who might feel this incident could have been avoided.
"One of the things is this," he said. "Officers day to day make split-second decisions. And from one split second to the other an event could change."
Chief Gomez said he can't speculate if this accident could have been prevented because he wasn't there when it happened. He is inviting members of the community to come forward with any ideas on how police can improve their service to the public.
Now that state police and the district attorney are done with the case,the Oakridge Police Department will now conduct its own internal investigation. Chief Gomez told KVAL News that could take up to 30 days to complete.
"We've got to try to move on," says Gomez. "And if, like I said, if there's a perceived or realistic issue, we have got to look at it."
The officer involved returned to work last week.
