BEAVERTON, Ore. — A woman who was injured in a hit-and-run crash in Washington County on Friday remains hospitalized in serious condition. Her mother has been by her side as she recovers.
"It's been an emotional roller coaster. It's a very hard time for not just me, but for our family," said Trini Miranda, the mother of 19-year-old Sarahy Rodriguez, who is in the hospital.
The driver accused of hitting Rodriguez now faces a felony charge for leaving the scene. Deputies were able to locate him because Rodriguez's cell phone flew into his vehicle during the hit-and-run-crash, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
The crash happened on Sept. 13 at 7:32 p.m. on Southwest Farmington Road at Southwest 157th Avenue. Multiple witnesses called in to tell dispatchers that a motorcycle was involved in the crash. Investigators determined the driver of the car that hit the motorcyclist left without exchanging information or even checking on her.
The motorcyclist, identified by her family as Rodriguez, was transported to Oregon Health & Science University in Portland with serious injuries. Deputies say wearing a helmet likely saved her life.
"It's really hard to talk about her condition, but we are in good spirits because we're leaving everything to the good Lord, but it's really hard to see to see your kid laying in bed," Miranda said.
Miranda told KGW on Monday that her daughter is getting round-the-clock care and has a number of specialists aiding in her recovery.
"Before she started riding, a part of the condition for her to ride was to always be geared up, 100% geared up. And she was geared up from head to toe (on Friday)," Miranda said.
WCSO said witnesses told them a dark-colored Scion left the scene that night. However, inside that car was a clue: Rodriguez's phone. Investigators determined it had flown into the vehicle during the crash.
Rodriguez's sister, Cindy, helped track it down more than a mile from the crash site. Using an app to find the phone, she located it inside a car with a broken window near Southwest 170th and Vincent.
"I looked in it and I could see her phone just there, pinging because I was calling her phone. It was covered in glass," she said. "I reached in and grabbed it. That's when I took the recording, to make sure that that was the car that had hit my sister."
Deputies were then able to find the car and the suspect, 27-year-old Julian Borjas-Diaz. Borjas-Diaz was arrested and is being charged with a felony hit-and-run.
As Rodriguez continues down her long road to recovery, her family is pleading with drivers to be more careful, especially around motorcycles.
"If you hit someone, it doesn't matter who's at fault," Miranda said. "It could be the other person at fault. It's the human thing to do is stop, stop, and make sure that that person is okay."