FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: September 9, 2024
Man struck and killed by passing train
Salem, Ore. — A man who was struck by a passing freight train last week has died from his injuries.
Emergency responders were called to the Union-Pacific Railroad tracks at Center and 12th STS NE at 6:40 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4.
Witnesses reported a man was on a bicycle with the tires near the tracks. As the train approached, the bells and horns were sounded, and the rider backed the bike toward the tracks. The passing train struck the bicycle which spun the rider into the train.
The bicyclist is identified as 32-year-old Taylor Anthony Ochoa of Nevada. He was transported to Salem Health in critical condition. He died the next afternoon, September 5.
Traffic was closed to east and westbound traffic from Mill ST SE north to approximately Lamberson ST NE. The scene was cleared, and the train was released within three hours.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 28, 2024
One killed in motorcycle crash on Salem-Dallas Highway
Salem, Ore. — A portion of eastbound Salem-Dallas Highway was closed Tuesday afternoon, August 27, for a single‑vehicle motorcycle collision.
At approximately 2:20 p.m., Salem Police officers and emergency personnel responded to the crash west of the Rosemont AV on-ramp. The collision involved a man riding a converted trike motorcycle that struck a concrete barrier. There were no witnesses to the crash.
The rider, identified as 68-year-old Robert Mark Nelson of Salem, was transported to Salem Health with life‑threatening injuries where he succumbed to those injuries Tuesday evening.
Eastbound traffic was diverted onto Edgewater ST NW during the approximate two‑hour closure of the highway.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Aug. 26, 2024
Passing train strikes, kills man on tracks
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 4:50 p.m. this afternoon, Salem Police officers responded to 1200 block of D Street NE on the report of a man struck by a passing freight train.
The railroad crew traveling northbound on the Union Pacific line reported the collision occurred on the tracks just south of D Street. Witnesses stated the man was standing near the tracks and laid down across them just before the train passed.
The person struck by the train is identified as Alexander Boyd Schumpert, age 32 of Salem. He was declared deceased at the scene.
The rail line which runs north-south was closed between D Street NE and Mill Street SE for approximately three hours while officers conducted the death investigation, and a substitute train crew arrived. The train was released from the scene just before 8:00 p.m.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 20, 2024
Police investigate stabbing incident as a homicide
Salem, Ore. — The Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit is investigating a stabbing incident that occurred in late July at Wallace Marine Park in west Salem.
At about 2:15 a.m. on July 27, patrol officers responded to the call of a victim with a stab wound who was in the south end of the park. Officers found a young adult with multiple stab wounds and provided emergency medical aid. Paramedics arrived and transported the victim to Salem Health.
The victim is identified as Riley John Adams, a 19-year-old Salem resident. Adams remained hospitalized and in critical condition until his death on Monday, August 19. The incident is being investigated as a homicide.
Anyone with information concerning what transpired that Saturday morning and led to Adams’ death is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503‑588‑8477.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 18, 2024
Person dies days after being struck by a vehicle in northeast Salem
Salem, Ore. — A Salem woman fell victim to a vehicle collision on Wednesday morning.
At 11:40 a.m. on August 14, callers reported a pedestrian was struck at the intersection of Lancaster DR and Wolverine ST NE by a sports utility vehicle (SUV).
The preliminary investigation done by the Salem Police Traffic Team determined the SUV driver was in the dedicated left turn lane waiting to make a left turn. After the traffic signal cycled, the pedestrian began crossing eastbound within the marked crosswalk when the SUV driver initiated the left turn, striking the pedestrian.
The pedestrian, identified as Teresita Telesfora Millard, was transported to Salem Health with critical injuries. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.
The 67-year-old Millard succumbed to the injuries she sustained in the collision on Saturday afternoon, August 17.
The driver, identified as Mario Alberto Ortiz, age 53 of Salem, was initially cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, having no operator's license, and driving uninsured. With Ms. Millard’s death, the incident remains an active case and, as with all significant investigations, will be forwarded to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office for review upon completion.
The incident is Salem’s sixteenth traffic fatality of the year. In 2023, the Traffic Team investigated 12 fatal collisions that resulted in 13 deaths.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 17, 2024
Man on rail tracks killed by moving train
Salem, Ore. — At about 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 16, emergency responders were called to the area of Blossom DR and Niles AV NE due to a collision involving a train and a person on the railway.
An Amtrak crew traveling southbound on the Union Pacific rail line reported a man standing on the tracks facing the oncoming train. The rail crew sounded the horn multiple times and used emergency measures to stop but could not avoid the collision as the man did not move for unknown reasons.
Fernando Aguilera-Bravo, age 35 of Salem, was declared deceased at the scene.
By 10:45 p.m., the investigation was completed, and the train was released from the scene. There were no traffic impacts.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 16, 2024
Divers recover the body of a man in the Willamette River
Salem, Ore. — A volunteer dive team today located the body of a man in the Willamette River.
The divers were searching the waters for a Salem man presumed accidentally drowned on Monday, August 12. Just before 11:00 p.m. that night, emergency personnel responded to Wallace Marine Park after callers reported a woman had jumped into the river from the Union Street Pedestrian Bridge and was struggling to swim. Witnesses at the riverbank reported a man swam into the river to help her.
Officers located the woman who made it to shore. She was transported to the hospital. People along the riverbank stated that the man who attempted to render aid had submerged and did not resurface.
Officers scoured the banks on foot and deployed two drones to search for the man. Salem firefighters also launched a search boat to assist. The man was not located. The next morning a Salem Police and Polk County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team did another boat search of the river but did not locate him.
Witnesses to the incident reported the man who jumped into the river to help as 35-year-old Derik Morganstern of Salem.
At approximately 5:00 p.m. today, the divers recovered the body, tentatively identified as Morganstern; however, an examination by the Oregon State Medical Examiner will rule the official cause of death and confirm identity.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: August 12, 2024
Suspect identified, wanted by police
Dispute leads to shots fired, one fatality, two wounded
Update 08/12/2024 | 3:30 p.m.
Salem Police Violent Crimes Unit detectives ask for the public’s help in a 2023 homicide case.
On the evening of February 13, gunfire rang out in a northeast Salem neighborhood after a verbal dispute between several men gathered in the street near Arbon DR and Vallejo ST NE. The incident left Alejandro Silva-Ramirez and two other victims with gunshot wounds. Silva-Ramirez, age 27 of Salem, died on‑the-scene. The adult and teen who were also struck by gunfire survived their injuries.
Evidence developed in the investigation led to Fermin Flores, age 33 of Salem, as the suspect in the incident. Flores, who also uses the name Alejandro Chavez Mando, has a warrant for his arrest on the charge of second-degree murder.
Detectives have exhausted all efforts to locate Flores and request the public’s help with this case.
Flores is a Hispanic male adult, with black hair and brown eyes, is 5 foot 3 inches in height, and has a slender build. He generally wears his hair shaved and may have facial hair.
Anyone with information about Flores’ whereabouts is asked to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503‑588-8477. If you see Flores, call police authorities. Do not approach him. He is considered armed and dangerous.
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Originally published 02/14/2023
Dispute leads to shots fired, one fatality, two wounded
Salem, Ore. — At approximately 8:50 p.m. on Monday, February 13, Salem Police officers responded to the area of Arbon DR and Vallejo ST NE on multiple reports of gunfire.
Arriving officers located two men with gunshot wounds. Both men received medical aid at the scene; however, one man, age 27, subsequently died of his injuries. The second man, age 30, was transported to Salem Health and currently remains hospitalized.
A third person with a gunshot wound, a teenage girl, was also located and transported to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.
Officers learned several men were gathered in the street when a dispute erupted, and gunfire was exchanged. Stray bullets from the encounter struck a nearby residence with a round entering the home and striking the teen.
Detectives from the Violent Crimes Unit responded to the scene and are leading the investigation. Although no further details are being released about the incident, anyone with information is encouraged to call the Salem Police Tips Line at 503-588-8477.
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