Support surges for farmworkers killed in Oregon highway crash, but hurdles remain

Corrections & Clarifications: This story has been updated to clarify PCUN’s role in fundraising efforts.

The aftermath of seven farmworkers killed May 18 in one of the deadliest highway crashes in recent Oregon history has highlighted a network willing and able to rally support for its more vulnerable members.

But the unique challenges the farmworker community faces when tragedy strikes also have been accentuated.

A van carrying 11 passengers, all contract farmworkers, was struck by a semitruck traveling north on Interstate 5 near Albany. Six people were killed on-site; a seventh died on the way to a regional hospital. The other four passengers were injured, some severely.

The truck's driver, 52-year-old Lincoln Smith of California, was arrested for manslaughter, DUII, assault and reckless driving.

It didn't take long for farmworker advocates, food banks and other service-based organizations to jump into action. PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union, made contact with some families of the victims within 24 hours of the crash. Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC) hosted a meeting Monday afternoon with local organizations to unify support efforts.

The agriculture community at-large also swiftly swept in to help. The Oregon Farm Bureau partnered with PODER and other organizations to create a unified GoFundMe, the proceeds of which will help survivors and families cover basic life expenses while they recover and grieve.

PCUN also created its own fund through its foundation.

But the road to recovery will be long, OHDC regional supervisor Frances Alvarado told the group gathered in her Woodburn office Monday. Logistical hurdles and gruesome facts of the crash have delayed basic processes like notifying families and connecting with survivors.

And, Alvarado said, survivors and their families will need support long after public attention on the case has faded.

"It's not going to happen overnight," she said. "This is going to be a process."

Identification delayed; bureaucratic hurdles

Oregon State Police released the names of the seven victims, as well as the names of the four people injured, Monday afternoon, four days after the crash.

Some names released by state police did not match the victims' names in court documents. It took time to identify and confirm each person, police said, due to both the nature of the crash and lack of identifiable information present on-scene. Police said some of the victims were not carrying identification at the time of the crash and others used nicknames.

The names released Monday were the most current state police had. OSP identified the victims as: Eduardo Lopez, 31, of Gervais; Alejandro Jimenez Hernandez, 36, of Gervais; Josue Garcia Garcia, 30, of Salem; Luis Enrique Gomez Reyes, 30, of Woodburn; Javier Suarez, 58, of Woodburn; Alejandra Espinoza Carpio, 39; and Juan Carlos Leyva Carrillo, 37, of Woodburn.

But the Mexican Consulate in Portland said its work identifying victims and notifying families is not done. It is working closely with state police, but it could still be several days before all identities are confirmed and notices given, said Consul General Carlos Quesnel.

"We have to be very careful," Quesnel said. "It's going to take a long time."

Quesnel said the Consulate also is helping repatriate victims' remains to their families in Mexico, but some remain stuck in bureaucratic limbo. It is not yet clear where each victim called home. Quesnel said he is fairly certain the 11 passengers in the Ford Econoline van are Mexican nationals or have ties to Mexico, but even that was "not 100%" as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Consulate's main priority is legal protection and supporting the victims and survivors, Quesnel said. It's work that will take months, even years, of follow-up.

"In my two and a half years here, I've never had something like this," Quesnel said.

Each logistical and bureaucratic hurdle also is a roadblock for the people organizing support efforts. But organizers said they're in it for the long haul.

Willamette Valley organizations rush to support

Despite limited and evolving information, Willamette Valley organizations have acted swiftly to support the victims and their families.

The biggest priorities right now, representatives said, are emotional and financial support. OYEN Emotional Wellness Center is offering free counseling to survivors and loved ones for as long as they need it, said co-founder Anthony Veliz. The counseling center already has scheduled several appointments.

"In these trying times, our compassion and shared sense of humanity guide our actions," Veliz said.

SAIF, Oregon's worker's compensation agency, will cover funeral costs and repatriation. Spokesperson Lauren Casler said she could not comment on specific claims, but SAIF's general policy is to pay for funeral and burial costs and extend benefits to surviving family members. Injured parties are eligible for worker's compensation benefits.

"Our hearts go out the families, friends, and co-workers of the victims of this terrible crash, as well as the survivors," Casler said.

The AWARE Food Bank in Woodburn is prepared to donate food to all impacted families.

The GoFundMe is live. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to surviving workers and families.

"The loss of these hardworking individuals has undoubtedly created a void in the lives of their loved ones and our community," said Oregon Farm Bureau Executive Director Greg Addington. "Their unwavering spirit to provide for their families and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our state was evident. Individually and as an organization, we extend our unwavering support as we mourn the lives of these individuals."

Anyone who wants to donate can visit gofundme.com/f/OFB-farmworker-families.

Shannon Sollitt covers agricultural workers through Report for America, a program that aims to support local journalism and democracy by reporting on under-covered issues and communities. Send tips, questions and comments to ssollitt@statesmanjournal.com.