June 21, 2019
Criminal charges filed in April 20, 2019 crash that killed rideshare passenger in northeast Portland
Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that a seven-count charging document was filed against 38-year-old Herbert Lee Scruggs Jr. in connection with the April 20, 2019 vehicular homicide that happened in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood of northeast Portland.
Scruggs Jr. is charged with one count of manslaughter in the second degree, one count of assault in the third degree, one count of assault in the fourth degree, two counts of driving under the influence of intoxicants, one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and one count of reckless driving.
This investigation started when Portland Police responded to reports of a multi-vehicle crash on the Northeast 102nd Avenue overpass above Interstate 84. Upon arrival, law enforcement located three involved vehicles.
Ray Warren Ilar, 47, a passenger of one of the vehicles, died as a result of the crash.
According to court documents, a stolen Dodge pickup, later determined to be driven by Scruggs Jr., was seen weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed. Scruggs Jr. swerved the pickup into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Lexus SUV that was traveling northbound on Northeast 102nd Avenue, according to court documents.
Scruggs Jr. was ejected from the vehicle. He spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from facial lacerations and skull fractures, according to a probable cause affidavit prepared by Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Glen Banfield. During the investigation, officers assigned to the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team learned that the vehicle Scruggs Jr. was driving had been reported stolen on April 16, 2019.
According to court documents, Scruggs had a .12% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) when he arrived at the hospital. Additionally, a toxicology report confirmed the presence of marijuana and methamphetamine in his blood.
The driver of the Lexus, which was in service as a ridesharing vehicle, suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to the hospital. Her passenger, later identified as Mr. Ilar, was ejected through the front windshield and died.
The Portland Police Bureau found, based on their investigation, Mr. Ilar was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
The ridesharing driver was providing Mr. Ilar with transportation to his residence, according to the probable cause affidavit.
As a result of the initial collision between the pickup allegedly driven by Scruggs Jr. and the Lexus, the Lexus was then knocked into the path of, and collided with, a Toyota Sienna minivan that was headed northbound. The driver of the minivan, a juvenile, did not suffer life-threating injuries, but was transported to the hospital.
This remains an ongoing investigation and no additional details can be released by law enforcement or the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
A charging document is only an accusation of a crime. Scruggs Jr. is innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director
Phone: 503.988.6567
Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us