A high school senior’s tragic death has shattered a wealthy Oregon community and ignited a firestorm aimed at a local school board member.
Teenager killed on property of school board member
Seventeen-year-old Ava Crews lost her life on May 18 in a fatal ATV crash on Sauvie Island, where underage drinking had allegedly taken place at a sprawling $1.8 million estate owned by Scappoose School District Board Chair Branda Jurasek.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Crews had been a passenger on an all-terrain vehicle driven by her friend Ayden Heard when the vehicle flipped.
The teen girl died at the scene, deputies confirmed. Heard was hospitalized, then arrested on multiple charges, including DUII, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and manslaughter.
Heard, 18, was later released after posting $50,000 bail. On May 20, he pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the crash.
Prosecutors said Heard admitted to drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel of the ATV.
They allege he made a sudden turn, which caused the vehicle to overturn, ending the young life of Crews.
Defense attorney Mark Cogan said the incident had deeply affected his client.
“They were friends,” Cogan told Oregon Live. “She was a very dear person to Ayden and his family, and they’re very sorrowful about what happened to her.”
Dead teen’s mom makes impassioned plea in court
During court proceedings, Ava Crews’ mother delivered a heartbreaking statement.
“We wish we were not writing these words and want you to know she was everything someone could hope for in a daughter, a truly beautiful soul,” Brooke Crews said.
“While our hearts are broken for our daughter, our hearts are also broken for Ayden and his family.”
“We are pleading with this court not to ruin Ayden’s life,” she continued. “He will suffer enough, and it will not bring our daughter back, and in fact, it is not something she would have wanted, and it would tarnish her memory.”
The crash has since spiraled into a major controversy, largely because it occurred on Jurasek’s property.
The event has provoked outrage from local parents and residents, who argue that the school board chair failed to provide a safe environment and should be held accountable.
Sources familiar with the situation said Heard and Crews were drinking with other minors in a barn on Jurasek’s expansive estate, located near the scenic Gilbert River. The home is reportedly known for hosting large gatherings.
Parents call for resignation of board member
A group of parents from Scappoose High School have since authored an anonymous letter, calling for Jurasek to step down and demanding a formal investigation from both the School District Board and the Multnomah County District Attorney.
“We, the undersigned members of the Scappoose community, are devastated by the catastrophic death of Ava Crews,” the letter reads.
“This tragedy followed underage drinking at a gathering at the home of Scappoose School Board Vice Chair Branda Jurasek and her husband, Matthew Dierdorff, on Sauvie Island.”
Deputy District Attorney Mackenzie Ludwig noted a “history of high schoolers going to the property to drink and ride dangerous vehicles,” suggesting the site may have long posed a risk to minors.
“This is still a very active investigation,” spokesperson Pat Dooris stated in an email.
“If anyone has information they have not shared with law enforcement, we ask you to come forward now.”
The letter also claims that School Board Chair Phil Lager’s nephew attended the party, raising further concerns about whether the board can handle the matter impartially.
“As parents, students, educators, and residents, we demand accountability, transparency, and justice for Ava Crews and our community,” the letter declares.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 600 people had signed the letter.
It accuses Jurasek and her husband of violating state laws that prohibit supplying alcohol to minors, a Class A misdemeanor that could carry up to a year in jail and a $6,250 fine.
“If Jurasek or Dierdorff knowingly permitted or failed to prevent underage drinking on their property, they may be liable for this offense,” the letter asserts.
“Moreover, if their negligence—such as allowing intoxicated minors to operate a UTV—contributed to Ava’s death, charges like criminally negligent homicide ORS 163.145, a felony carrying up to seven years in prison, may apply.”
The letter alleges the property was notorious among local teens as a spot to drink and drive off-road vehicles, which residents argue puts the responsibility squarely on Jurasek for what occurred.
“It is particularly egregious that Ayden Heard, a Scappoose High School student, faces legal consequences for the crash while Branda Jurasek, an adult and school board member, appears to face none,” the letter continues.
“Board members are required to model ethical behavior and protect students, not shift blame onto them,” the letter accused.
“Allowing a student to bear the full weight of punishment for an incident enabled by Jurasek’s negligence—on her property, with a history of such dangerous activities—undermines the board’s commitment to fairness and student welfare.”
Kayla Krismer, a local parent who said she signed the petition and whose daughter is enrolled at Scappoose High, echoed those demands.
“We just want her to admit that what happened was wrong,” Krismer said. “She’s responsible for our children, and it’s just horrible.”
