Driver in Double Fatal Tigard Crash Found on Roof of House

Approximately five to ten minutes into the incident, a Tigard Police Officer doing a perimeter search told firefighters that someone was lying on the roof of the home.

Photo: Tigard Police

(TIGARD, Ore.) - A crash that killed a 22-year old woman and a 21-year old man in Tigard early this morning involved not just tragic, but bizarre circumstances. The only person who survived the crash was the driver who was ejected from the wreckage, landing on the roof of the house that the car crashed into.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue says they were called out at 2:30 AM to the motor vehicle crash at 135th Avenue and Brittany Drive in Tigard.

Crews arriving on the scene reported finding a car on its top next to a house with two individuals inside. Firefighters quickly determined that the young adult female, 22-year old Shimona Ruscioelli of Portland, was deceased. They determined that the young adult male, 21-year old Nick Anderson of Beaverton, was critically injured.

Crews began providing medical care while at the same time cutting away portions of the car in an attempt to extricate Mr. Anderson from the wreckage. In spite of their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

Approximately five to ten minutes into the incident, a Tigard Police Officer doing a perimeter search told firefighters that someone was laying on the roof of the home.

At that point, firefighters gained access the roof and found a third victim and a purse belonging to the female passenger. Concerned about possible head, neck and spinal injuries, firefighters stabilized the patient and utilized ropes and a stokes basket to lower him to the ground.

This victim, identified as 22-year old Cory Warwick of Tigard, was transported by Metro West Ambulance to OHSU. Responding firefighters believe that the vehicle likely hit a brick pillar in the driveway of the home and flipped, ejecting Warwick onto the roof.

Jim Wolf with Tigard Police told Salem-News.com police and firefighters on scene had never seen these circumstances before.

"This was an an amazing phenomenon, not something anyone in the police or fire service responding to the incident had ever seen or heard of before, as far as the likelihood of the location and the way all of the dynamics came together."

Wolf confirmed that alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor to the crash, as well as high speed. "This is a tragic story and I hope people pay attention and learn from it, these people were so young, it is so unnecessary."

Tigard Police Department and the Washington County CART Team spent the day collecting evidence and measurements in efforts to determine the factors leading to the crash. The driver of the vehicle, 22 year old Cory Warwick of Tigard remains at OHSU. His condition is unknown.