Driver faces felony charge in deadly Division St. crash

Discover why police – and the DA’s office – say this outer East Portland wreck wasn’t just an accident …

Into the dawn hours, a two vehicle crash in the Hazelwood neighborhood of southeast Portland.

By David F. Ashton

A grinding two-car collision that took place just after 3:30 a.m. on August 12 – a crash that took a woman’s life – wasn’t a just a casual accident, according to Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officials.

The PPB Major Crash Team was called to the intersection of SE Division Street and 112th Avenue and began investigation of the collision in which one driver was taken to OHSU with life-threatening injuries, and later died of her injuries.

Emergency first responders find two badly mangled cars at this intersection. Courtesy KPTV Fox 12 Oregon

“The other driver remained at the scene,” a PPB spokesperson said.

Long after investigators cleared the crash scene, police arrested 22-year-old Zodiac Power Clark, who was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center at 10:51 p.m. that evening on charges of manslaughter, reckless driving and DUII.

At Clark’s arraignment the following day, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office filed a three count incitement against him, listing the charges on which he was booked, in Multnomah County District Court.

Facing a felony and two misdemeanor charges is 22-year-old Zodiac Power Clark. MCDC booking photo

According to the charging document, Clark caused the death of 48-year-old Elena Davkina by recklessly operating a vehicle on a public roadway while being impaired by alcohol.

According to court documents, the PPB’s Traffic Division located a vehicle with significant passenger side damage and another vehicle with significant front end damage.

A probable cause affidavit states that, based on the initial information, investigators determined Clark was traveling east on SE Division Street when his vehicle impacted the vehicle being driven by Ms. Davkina, who was traveling south on SE 112th Avenue.

This grinding crash was likely caused by an intoxicated driver, officials say. Courtesy KATU 2 News

Court documents also show that officers observed that Clark had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, and that his speech was slurred – and a subsequent breath test showed his blood alcohol concentration to be .13%, according to the probable-cause affidavit.

Clark’s next court date hasn’t been scheduled at this time; he remains in custody at MCDC in lieu of $255,000 combined bail.

© 2019 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™

 

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