Investigators mulling criminal charges in crash that killed teen
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ALOHA, Ore. – The driver in a deadly crash that killed a 17-year-old boy in Aloha on Tuesday was in the middle of a seizure when her car drove on to the sidewalk and hit the boy, her mother said.
Michelle Young, 41, did not know she hit and killed the boy at the time. She was hospitalized with leg injuries and was scheduled for surgery Wednesday.
Young’s mother said her daughter suffered a seizure and was very upset when she learned that 17-year-old Max McGregor died in the crash.
It was Young’s second seizure of the day, her mother said.
McGregor was killed on the sidewalk along 185th Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. He was walking one block away from his home.
Washington County deputies said Young could face criminal charges even though she was in the middle of a medical emergency during the crash. Detectives are investigating whether she was taking medication, and whether that played a role in the crash.
“If a person has a medical condition it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not responsible for any of their actions after that point,” said Washington County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bob Ray. “They need to make sure they’re following everything they’re supposed to be doing to be healthy and keep other people safe at the same time.”
Young’s mother said her daughter has not been taking medications for her seizures, but she has been taking medications for depression and anxiety.
Young was arrested on a DUII charge in 2008, but her mother said no alcohol was involved and blamed her medications.
Young pleaded no contest and entered a diversion program. The charge was later dropped.
Investigators said it could take several more days to decide whether to pursue criminal charges related to Tuesday's crash.
“I really feel for the person who was driving the car,” said Nikki Hurtado, who was placing flowers at the roadside memorial for McGregor Wednesday. “I don’t know what happened and why she jumped the curb and struck him.”
Counselors were on hand Wednesday at the Health and Science School in Beaverton, where McGregor was a student.
A KATU viewer sent in this photo of the fence repair that was done after the crash. A contractor made a special memorial for the teenager who was killed.
This is so tragic. The driver was definitely being irresponsible and criminal charges of some sort are appropriate, but how englishdaisy (below) came up with intentional murder is beyond me.
Really - what requires days to consider. Charge this woman and the hospital that discharged her and allowed her to get behind a MOTOR VEHICLE and drive away from the hospital.Â
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A young boy did not deserve to be targetted like this - by a woman who was literally a loaded weapon coming straight at him. And if the prosecutor stops and thinks about it - the entire community did not deserve to have this woman self determine she was safe to drive. She KNEW BETTER. And do did the hospital. They simply and indifferently did not care about this young man's safety or the safety of anyone else.Â
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Intentional criminal act. That is that this was. A murder intentionally occurred here. This young boy was murdered.Â
OH DEAR GOD IM PISSED!!!!!! Being epileptic since I was 9, I know that I can have a grand mal seizure at any time. I can kill myself or someone else if I was driving and had one. So (DUH!) I do the responsable thing and DONT DRIVE! And that BS about anxiety meds causing seizures? Xanax and Klons will if you abuse them.
Is it me or does she look like the ugly female version of Jim Morrison?!
scummy lady, throw her in jail "second seizure that day??? why was she allowed to drive at all in the first place, knowing she was prone to having one that might cause her to lose control and kill someone? she was probably on her way to the liquor store, or her dealer.
Her 2nd seizure of the day and she chose to drive. SHE NEEDS TO BE ARRECTED AT ONCE, STATES ATTORNEYS STOP SITTING ON YOUR HANDS.  SHE IS TRURE MENACE TO THE COMMNITY. This piece of s--- needs to be arrested at once. This is not an accident, she chose to murder when she got behind the wheel for the second time. She made the choice to kill this young boy. What she did equals a drunk driver who kills an innocent person. Her sentence should equal the same punishment as a drunk/killer.
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Her anxiety meds do not cause seizues. I have taken the meds for years and know they do not cause seizures nor impair your ability to drive unless you abuse the meds, and that in itself is cause for arrest. She cannot use this as an excuse because the warnings on the scrip does not include seizures.Â
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It just breaks my heart every time look at the picture of this innocent young man who will never be able to enjoy life again. If it were not for this murderer he would be alive and happy as I write this
Looking at his picture I can imagine him being happy and enjoying his family and everyday adventures.
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She is a horrible excuse of a human being and deserves to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.. She very well could have prevented this tragedy but instead chose to MURDER this poor boy.
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If you have a problem with being intoxicated by your medications, and a medical condition that can impair driving, here's a thought, DON'T DRIVE! Either have your mom take you, or take a bus, or even use one of those buses designed for the handicapped/seniors! This woman should feel guilty, as well as her mother, and the medical staff that released her earlier that day. In my opinion, they are all responsible of gross and very reckless negligence.
I agree with you to th point of blaming her mohter. Just because the mom knew what happened after the fact doesn't mean that she had control over her adult daughters actions prior. People seem to think that families are equally to blame for their family members bad choices. I've tried for years to somehow make sure one of my 'kin' cannot get behind the whell and truly in spite of the things I have been able to do thee are limits t what I can legally or physically do beyond that and it makes me sick daily, daily I pray about it, daily I run through what has been done and what other options might be available. There are limits, you can't blame family, just because they are related does not automatically mean they are a willing participant.
Why are people suffering multiple seizures behind the wheel of a car? Seems a reasonable line of inquiry to me.
One of our daughters just turned teenager. My sympathy goes out to the victim's family. Michelle Young should be charged for being irresponsible.
I think charges are in order in this case. If she did not know she had a seizure disorder and this was her first one or first one in years then it would be reasonable to drive. It sounds like she shouldn't have been driving at all so she should be responsible for her medical crisis.
I have suffered from unexplained seizures in the past and I am currently taking medication to prevent them. I haven't had a seizure in over eight years: But, I still don't drive. Â Everyday when I walk out the door I live in fear of having another, because every time that I have had one I was downtown. Â I hate those damn seizures with a passion. Just saying.
 @jallard I'm in the same boat. I haven't had one in about the same time. Thank God! But there are a lot of people out there that know they have them AND aren't medicated. Scary for sure.
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 " 1812 " said it clearly below, that women should Not be Driving. She knew she was having seizures and is responsible. The Hospital will not release someone to drive with a condition that can impair one's ability to drive, because they will be liable.
that's something I haven't seen yet. Somewhere I heard she still had her hospial bracelet on. Was she actually coming from the hospital? Was she released to drive herself home? what were the discharge instructions? In some of the reports it sounds like the hospital could/should be liable (at least shared liability) It all depends on the situations I guess. If she was discharged to a cab with instructions not to drive and the cab dropped her off and she turned around & took off then the hospital did their dudilagence, they can't exactly follow her home, but if they sent her out the door on her own, that's different.Â
Sounds like mommy is making too many excuses for the daughter, no wonder she can't make the right decisions...also some medications could be considered "driving under the influence" as many do cause drowsiness and other side effects
It amazes me that our police forces do not know the laws. Â In Oregon and most states you have to go
for a period of time with NO seizures to keep your drivers license. Â Most people are to selfish to care about
the lives of others. Â They want to drive and they will do it come hell and high water. Â Rarely do they get charged for driving illegally.Â
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If this was her second seizure of the day, why, in God's name, was she allowed to drive? If her mother knew such, why didn't she take measures, such as calling the police, when she knew her daughter was a public risk? And don't tell me she didn't think of that!
Maybe somewhere I missed the part of the article where they said that the mom was with her, or with her when she drove off. Because, unless that were the case, the police are not to interested in hearing about everyone who had a seizure that day that may or may not drive from one unknown location to another unknown location at some unknown time and by some unknown route. It just doesn't work that way. There is only so much one adult can do to prevent another adult from doing whatever they darn well choose. No matter how badly you want to. That is assuming that you know what is going on before the fact. It is possible (although maybe I missed it) but it is possible that the mother found out about he first seziure when she was learning of this accident.
She definitely should be charged. She had absolutely no business driving a vehicle if she had a seizure earlier in the day. That's probably why she was still wearing her hospital bracelet, according to one of the witnesses.
I'd say criminal charges are appropriate
Okay, Michelle Young is hospitalized for problems with seizures. She gets out of the hospital, although apparently she had at least one seizure prior to leaving, and gets in a car. She then proceeds to drive, and while driving, has another seizure. Also apparent is these seizures cause her to lose her mental faculties as well as control of her physical faculties. She apparently unknowingly drives up on the sidewalk and kills an innocent young man. Here is the question that should be considered: Doesn't everyone who drives have an obligation to be reasonably sure when they get behind the wheel they are not going to have a recurring medical condition that prevents them from effectively controlling the automobile?Â
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My own personal belief is if one is suffering from a medical condition that could result in the inability to control a motor vehicle, then one has an affirmative obligation to cease operation of a motor vehicle until medically stable to the dregree that there is negligible risk of an event interfering with said vehicle control.
 " 1812 " You are Exactly Correct...well stated...you sound like a Lawyer... LOL..
A lot of medicines or medications will have statements regarding operating machinery, driving etc. Hopefully they figure out what happened. If she is prone to siezures, then she should not have been driving. If she is under the care of a physician and the medications have side affects, she could be in trouble
This makes me wonder how many other seizure prone people are out there driving. Â It must be like one in 50 or so, anyone have any idea?
 @portlandborn83 I know of many people who  have seizure disorders and drive anyway.
You have to go for six months with no seizures to drive legally. Â The attitude of these people
is "they have the right to drive" and don't care about the safety of others. Â They will tell you that right out. Â It angers me but so do people who drive while intoxicated.
 @portlandborn83 My long ago ex is diabetic. He's actually in the last stages, now. But, when we were much younger and he was still ''healthy'', he had to submit to blood tests that showed what his blood sugar levels were over the previous 90 days. If they were too far off his doctor wouldn't sign the form DMV required for him to keep his license. It's not standard, as far as I know. It was required of him because he'd had previous black outs. It wasn't a fool proof plan. Some people should not be behind the wheel, namely him. Thankfully he never killed anyone.
Charge her! Second one of the day? Has been previously sited for driving impaired? She selfishly got behind the wheel and a young man paid with his life. His family will forever suffer the loss. There's no excuse.
 @Lips Agreed, but you meant "cited".
 @felines99 I did mean cited. Thanks.