Portland, OR— A teenage boy was killed in a rollover crash in North Portland on Saturday night, with initial investigations suggesting the incident was connected to an illegal street takeover event.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to the scene just after 10:30 p.m. at North Marine Drive and North Leadbetter Road, where they found a single vehicle that had rolled onto its side. The teenage boy, who was a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, 18-year-old Juan Raul Medina Dominguez of Gresham, remained at the scene and was later arrested. He has been charged with negligent homicide and reckless driving.
According to PPB, the crash occurred while the vehicle was performing “donuts” — a dangerous maneuver involving spinning the car in tight circles — when it flipped over. The teenage passenger, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries.
The investigation revealed that the driver was participating in an illegal street takeover at the time of the crash. Such events typically involve drivers performing stunts like donuts, racing, or drifting, often with large crowds of spectators. While some witnesses stayed to speak with police, many others fled the scene before authorities could gather full details.
The crash marks the 65th traffic-related fatality in Portland this year, and the fifth in the past ten days. If this trend continues, the city could be on pace to match or exceed the record number of traffic deaths in 2023, which was the highest in three decades.
