SALEM, Ore. — Family and friends are grieving the loss of four people who were killed when a car crashed into a homeless encampment in Northeast Salem in the early hours of Sunday morning.
One of the people who died was 29-year-old Rochelle Zamacona. Her friends from high school spoke to KGW about the person she was growing up.
“She was just our little spitfire in the group. She always had a smile on her face,” said Cera Hartness.
“If you wanted to have fun, if you needed somebody to lift your spirits, I feel like we always knew that we could count on Rochelle to do that,” added Talia Davis.
Both Davis and Hartness said they were part of Zamacona's tightknit circle of friends when they attended Sweet Home High School. They said Zamacona was well-loved, athletic and enjoyed riding horses.
“I feel like Rochelle had a really, really big group of people that cared about her,” said Davis.
“She just was one of those people, you couldn't help but laugh and smile around her,” Hartness said.
Her friends said during her senior year of high school, Zamacona began struggling with mental health.
“There was a shift in her life choices and we just kind of slowly, we were losing her from that point,” Davis said.
They say she also struggled with addiction and tried to get help.
“We had high hopes for her but I do feel like […] the system failed her. And it's heartbreaking because she was a wonderful person,” said Davis.
Another friend, Kelsi Hepler, said Zamacona was one of her best friends since seventh grade. Hepler said she had remained in contact with her friend over the years despite their differing life paths.
“Unfortunately our society is not well equipped to deal with mental illness, which is part of the reason she was in that camp in Salem," Hepler said. "It breaks my heart that her beautiful soul was taken in such a senseless tragedy. I hope people that knew her can remember her in the way I know I will. She's always been in my heart and always will be."
Over the last few years, Davis said she had fallen out of touch with Zamacona. That was a similar story for others in their friend group, and now Davis said many of them feel guilt.
“We wish we could have done more for her and I don't think anybody realized the circumstances were like where she was at, and that's just it's heartbreaking,” Davis said.
Still, despite the painful situation, Zamacona’s friends who knew her best growing up are choosing to hold tight to their memories of her. They’re choosing to remember her for the person she was rather than focus on the struggles she endured.
“I think there's always hope for someone to recover and I'm really sad she didn't get that chance,” said Davis.
On Tuesday, a small memorial had been set up at the corner of Division Street NE and Front Street NE where Zamacona and the three others were killed. Two more people were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but at last check were in fair condition.
Prosecutors said the driver responsible, 24-year-old Enrique Rodriguez, had a blood alcohol level that was more than three times the legal limit. He was arrested and charged with four counts of manslaughter in the first degree, a misdemeanor DUI charge, assault in the second degree, assault in the third degree and six counts of reckless endangerment. He’s scheduled to be back in court April 6.
The homeless people living in the area of the crash said they plan to hold a memorial for those killed on Saturday around 11 a.m. or noon. Zamacona’s friends and family plan to attend a funeral on Sunday.