Driver Kills Passenger, Destroys Car In High-Speed Crash: Police

BEAVERTON, OR — One person died and one person was arrested following a catastrophic one-car crash in Beaverton this week.

Jonathan Guzman, 21, of Salem, was taken to Washington County Jail and charged with manslaughter for allegedly causing the death of 36-year-old Washington County resident Ariana Salgado-Guadarrama.

According to Beaverton police spokesman Jeremy Shaw, Guzman and Salgado-Guadarrama were traveling west on Southwest Farmington Road just before 3 a.m. July 28 when they sped past a Beaverton officer in a red 2005 Mazda.

With the officer in pursuit, Guzman continued driving quickly up to the moment he crashed into a tree near the intersection of Southwest Farmington Road and Southwest Murray Boulevard.

The impact of the crash was so great, Shaw said, that the car's engine and front axle were completely torn away, with the engine coming to rest about five lanes away on the opposite side of the road.

Both Guzman and Salgado-Guadarrama sustained injuries, but Salgado-Guadarrama's were more severe and she reportedly died shortly after the crash.

Guzman was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Following his release July 30, Guzman was arrested and taken to jail.

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Police reportedly conducted a DUII investigation because Guzman showed signs of impairment after the crash; but at Guzman's arraignment July 31 the Washington County District Attorney's Office dropped charges for second degree manslaughter, misdemeanor driving under the influence of intoxicants, criminal mischief, and reckless driving.

For the first degree manslaughter charge, Guzman faces up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $375,000.

Images via Beaverton Police Department