x
Breaking News
More () »

Twality Middle School student killed in car crash, sibling seriously injured

A 10th grader at Tualatin High School was seriously injured and a seventh grader from Twality Middle School was killed. The 19-year-old driver was arrested.

TUALATIN, Ore. — The Tigard-Tualatin School District has confirmed the identities of the two teenage passengers in a single-vehicle rollover crash on Friday that killed one of them and seriously injured the other. The 19-year-old driver of the car was arrested.

Brittany Granados, a 10th grader at Tualatin High School, was seriously injured, the district wrote in a letter to parents. Her brother, Andy Granados, a seventh grader at Twality Middle School, died in the crash.

"I cannot even imagine what the family is going through," said Deputy David Huey with the Washington County Sheriff's Office. "Three siblings involved in this crash at the time, and one of them being fatal ... it's awful."

The Sheriff's Office reported that the crash occurred just after 9 p.m. Friday on Southwest River Road and involved three teenagers, all of whom were related. One of them died at the scene and the other was being treated for severe injuries, police said.

The sheriff's office said later that the driver, Jesse Granados-Villegas, had been speeding and lost control on a curve, rolling the car and crashing through a chain link fence. He suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized, then arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, reckless driving and DUII for marijuana. He was booked in Washington County jail. 

Granados-Villegas appeared before a judge for the first time Monday afternoon. He remains behind bars, awaiting his next hearing next week. 

The district said it is putting together a support team for students, staff and the Granados-Villegas family, with specially-trained counselors and mental health specialists available in district buildings on Monday.

"This is heartbreaking news for our community," the district wrote in the letter. "We know this news will affect our students in different ways. Some may not know Brittany or Andy very well and may not be as affected, while others may experience a great deal of shock, sadness, anxiety, and anger. Feeling sad is a normal response to any loss. Any death, even if the person wasn’t known to you, can bring up feelings and emotions related to other losses."

Before You Leave, Check This Out