A 20-year-old Gresham woman is dead and four others remain hospitalized following a traffic accident involving a drunken driver early Sunday morning in Portland's Old Town area.
Rebecca Lynn Bray was pronounced dead at the scene, while 21-year-old Brandi Lucille Butner, of Fairview, was transported to a Portland hospital and is expected to survive, Sgt. Pete Simpson said.
Just hours before the accident, Butner posted on Facebook that she was going to downtown Portland to celebrate her 21st birthday with Bray.
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes! Headed downtown with my girl :), Butner wrote.
The three other people hospitalized were passengers in a truck driven by a Cornelius man who is now in jail on allegations of driving under the influence of intoxicants, Simpson said.
Brent Allan Warstler, 42, is being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center on allegations of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, third-degree assault, reckless driving and driving under the influence of intoxicants. His bail is $760,000.
The accident happened at 2:34 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, when Warstler, who was driving southbound on Northwest Fifth Avenue, reportedly ran a red light at Everett Street.
His 2012 Dodge Ram pick-up collided with an eastbound taxi cab, driven by 41-year-old Angel Custovio Olvera, of Tigard. The crash caused Warstler's pickup to veer left onto the sidewalk, where he struck two pedestrians, Butner and Bray, on the southeast corner of Fifth and Everett.
The taxi cab driver and his passengers were not injured and remained at the scene.
The site of the crash is one block outside of the Entertainment District where streets are blocked off on weekends to increase safety.
Warstler was transported to a hospital for minor injuries, as were three of his passengers. After being treated for his injuires, police arrested Warstler.
He'll be arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Jan. 22.