BEAVERTON, Ore. — A Washington County grand jury has indicted the 18-year-old driver who was behind the wheel in the April 27 crash that killed two Southridge High School students and injured three, including the driver, and a Washington County deputy.
Xavier Denzel Rodriguez faces 12 total counts, including charges of manslaughter, assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving. He was hospitalized for a full month, released Friday, May 27 into Beaverton Police custody and booked into the Washington County jail.
Rodriguez had his first court appearance Friday afternoon, entering a plea of not guilty during a cell-side arraignment. He remains in the custody of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and is expected back in court on June 3.
According to court documents, Rodriguez was driving under the influence of alcohol that night when, police say, he drove through a red light at the intersection of Southwest Tualatin Valley Highway and Southwest Murray Boulevard and slammed into a Washington County deputy's patrol car.
Five Southridge High School students were inside the vehicle. Two died at the scene: 17-year-old Matthew Amaya and 16-year-old Juan Pacheco-Aguilera. Two other students were hospitalized after the crash.
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WCSO deputy Michael Trotter was seriously injured in the crash and faces a long road to recovery. Trotter has been with the Washington County Sheriff's Office since 2013 and has been a full-time patrol deputy since 2015. Trotter's wife said his pelvis was shattered and he may not regain full function of his legs.