The 18-year-old driver who allegedly spun his car into oncoming traffic near Milo McIver State Park in unincorporated Clackamas County on Memorial Day, killing three teenagers and injuring himself and one other, has been arrested on numerous charges, including manslaughter.
Devin Michael Kurtz, 18, has been booked into the Clackamas County Jail on three counts of second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants, third-degree assault, recklessly endangering, reckless driving and criminal mischief.
The crash happened just after 9 p.m. Monday. Investigators say Kurtz was behind the wheel with four passengers – some as young as 14 years old – when he lost control of his car at the intersection of South Springwater Road and Redland near Estacada and collided with an oncoming pickup.
Two of the teenagers were declared dead at the scene, while a third was transported by Life Flight to a local hospital, where they also died. Kurtz reportedly suffered a punctured lung, and the fourth passenger was also hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.
The driver of the pickup — a 27-year-old man whom authorities did not identify — was unhurt. He cooperated with authorities at the scene, police said.
The Estacada School District says some of the victims were students. They had extra staff on hand Tuesday to offer support to their classmates.
“The Estacada School District is deeply grieved to learn of a tragic car accident involving students from our district and community,” officials said on Facebook. “Our thoughts are with the families impacted, and we ask for your care and compassion on their behalf and on behalf of our schools as we all navigate this devastating news.”
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and Clackamas Fire responded to the scene. The county Medical Examiner’s Office and Criminal Reconstruction and Forensic Technicians (CRAFT) team arrived later to document the scene, conduct witness interviews and collect and process evidence.
Authorities have not released the names of the other youths who were involved in the crash.
Kurtz is being held on $780,000 bail.
