BEAVERTON, Ore. -- A man whose vehicle was struck by a wrong-way driver on Highway 217 talked Tuesday for the first time about the crash.
Hermelo Juarez-Garcia, 38, of Portland told KGW he was driving home Sunday morning when, all of a sudden, he saw headlights coming at him. Juarez-Garcia said it happened so fast, he had no time to react.
"Thank God I’m alive," said Juarez-Garcia."But I’m suffering."
Juarez-Garcia was taken to Oregon Health and Science University with facial fractures and a fracture to his right lower leg.
Trauma surgeon Lisa Ferrigno said Juarez-Garcia's seat belt probably saved his life.
”It is the difference between a significant amount of discomfort over a period of time, versus a significant amount of disability or perhaps even death,” said Ferrigno.
Erin Douge, 26, of Lake Oswego, had been traveling southbound in the northbound lanes when her vehicle struck Juarez-Garcia's car head-on, according to Officer Mike Rowe with the Beaverton Police Department. A third vehicle also became involved in the crash.
Douge was transported to to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, also with serious injuries.
The third vehicle in the crash was driven by Hillary Maxfield, 25, of Gresham. She was not hospitalized.
Investigators believe Douge "entered the northbound lanes of Highway 217 by driving down the wrong way on the exit ramp," Rowe said.
Investigators said on Tuesday that they also believe she was driving drunk. Rowe said speed did not appear to be a factor in the crash. Charges were pending against Douge.
Meanwhile, in his hospital bed, Juarez-Garcia admitted, ”Me siento preocupado”: Worried about the pain, worried about not being able to work, worried about how he'll climb the stairs to his second floor apartment.
“It's not good she made the decision to drive,” he said, through the interpreter.
