A 22-year-old man from Gresham has been taken into custody following an investigation into a fatal collision that occurred earlier this year. Eyasu Bedasso was arrested after the East County Vehicular Crimes Team concluded its inquiry into the June 16 crash that resulted in the death of two individuals on SW Towle Avenue in Gresham, as reported by the city's official site.
The fatal encounter involved a small SUV, operated by Bedasso, which collided with another vehicle. The profound impact led to the immediate death of the driver of the second vehicle, 69-year-old Theresa Heick, and later the death of her husband, 79-year-old Robert Heick, who succumbed to his injuries days after the crash. The VCT, comprised of officers from the Gresham Police Department and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, worked in concert with prosecutors from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to investigate the tragic event.
Investigators utilized various methods to analyze the crash, including surveillance footage, examination of evidence at the scene, and data from the vehicle's onboard computers. An unmanned aircraft system (drone) was also employed to document the site of the accident. It was determined that Bedasso’s vehicle was traveling more than 80mph in the posted 35mph zone. The excessive speed was identified as the major cause of the collision. According to findings by the investigative team, impairment was not believed to be a factor.
Following the thorough investigation, Bedasso was indicted by a Grand Jury on October 31. On November 5, the young man was arrested and subsequently booked into Multnomah County Jail. He faces charges that include two counts of manslaughter in the second degree, two counts of criminally negligent homicide, and reckless driving.
