PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Members of the Troutdale community gathered Friday to pay their respects and share memories of a family of four that died in a tragic crash on Oct. 12 near Redmond.
The vigil held at the Reynolds High School auditorium memorialized the lives of Gary and Michelle Rutledge and their two children, Kate and Ryan.
The event featured Kate’s own design work. Both she and her brother were students of the school and were heavily involved in multiple extracurricular activities, including drama and advanced classes.
On the day of the crash, investigators say a Chevrolet Silverado was heading northbound on Highway 97 when it crossed the center line and sideswiped a southbound commercial truck and trailer.
The truck driver then hit Gary’s Toyota RAV4 head-on, causing it to catch fire, authorities say. All four were declared dead at the scene.
“All fatal crashes are tragic,” Oregon State Police said in a statement. “When an entire family is lost, the tragic becomes horrific.”
