BEAVERTON, Ore. — Michael Trotter, the Washington County Sheriff's deputy who was critically injured early Wednesday morning when a car full of teenagers ran a red light and crashed into his patrol car on Tualatin Valley Highway in Beaverton, is expected to survive but faces a long road to recovery.
All five teenagers in the car were students at Southridge High School in Beaverton. Two of the students, Matthew Amaya and Juan Pacheco Aguilera, died in the crash. Three others were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. They have not been identified.
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The deputy's wife, Heather Trotter, talked to KGW on Thursday outside of the hospital where her husband is receiving treatment. She recounted the moment that her husband's colleagues from the sheriff's office knocked on her door Wednesday morning after the crash.
"I was like 'Oh my god, is he alive?'" Heather Trotter said. "[They said] 'Yeah, no, yes — but we don't know his condition,' And I was like 'Oh my god, thank you ... OK, breathe.' Then I made it up the stairs, tried to receive the information that I was given and we left the house promptly and came here."
During a Wednesday press conference, Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett described Trotter's condition as critical but stable and said he faces a "long road to recovery." Garrett said Trotter has been with the Washington County Sheriff's Office since 2013 and has been a full-time patrol deputy since 2015.
On Thursday, Heather Trotter shared more information about the extent of her husband's injuries. "His pelvis is destroyed," she said. "He had internal bleeding. ... It's a fairly low prognosis that he will get full function in his left leg."
At the same time, the families and friends of five teenagers are also dealing with the devastation. Abel Navarro, Amaya's cousin, told KGW he heard the tragic news from his uncle Wednesday morning.
"You're not supposed to go before your parents," he said. "That's hurting me, my dad, my uncle. It's hurting everybody."
A relative of Aguilera told KGW she would forever miss him.
"He was just a really kind person," she said. "He was motivated to do better, he was trying to graduate early. He just always made sure everyone was OK. He put everyone before himself."
As the reality of the damage becomes clear, Heather Trotter said the community support and pride for her husband's work keeps her going.
"I don't know that I can say thank you enough," she said. "The big thing is that Mike's alive. That's what makes me fine."
In the aftermath of the crash, at least two GoFundMe pages have been established for the victims. Aguilera's sister posted one in hopes that the community can support them with funeral expenses, and it's raised more than $14,000 of a $10,000 goal. Another page supporting Trotter's recovery has raised more than $81,000 of an extended $100,000 goal.
The Washington County Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team (CART) is investigating the crash. Anyone with information is asked to call (503) 629-0111.