The man suspected of driving the vehicle that hit a motorcycle head-on in Portland on Monday, fatally injuring a Vancouver man, may face a first-degree manslaughter charge in connection with the crash, according to a Portland police bulletin.
Edy Porfirio Reynoso-Ramirez, 32, allegedly drove the 1998 Honda Civic that crossed the center line on Marine Drive on Monday and struck a 2009 BMW motorcycle driven by John Zupan, the 66-year-old founder of Zupan’s Markets.
Zupan died overnight Tuesday from injuries sustained in the crash, a nursing supervisor at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center said Wednesday morning.
Ramirez was speeding, driving erratically and passing other vehicles before the crash, according to police. Both vehicles left the road, and the driver fled on foot, but police said they quickly captured him.
Wednesday evening, Reynoso-Ramirez was being held in the Multnomah County detention center on suspicion of second-degree assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and hit-and-run driving that caused injury and damage to property, a jail employee said.
He’s also being held without bail on a federal immigration hold as a suspected illegal immigrant.
First-degree manslaughter charges may be added now that Zupan died, the police bulletin said.
Also since Zupan died, the charge of second-degree assault may be dropped in court, a jail employee said Wednesday.
Reynoso-Ramirez is scheduled to make a second court appearance at 2 p.m. Thursday in Room 3 of the Justice Center in Portland, the jail employee added.
Zupan first started working as a courtesy clerk at Sheridan Fruit when he was 16. After spending 11 years working for Fred Meyer as the produce manager and produce district manager, he started Zupan’s Markets in 1975, according to the company’s website.
The three markets in Portland are known for gourmet items such as locally grown produce, local wines and foods from local bakeries.
Zupan’s Markets corporate office is in Clark County. The company remains family-owned, with the chief executive officer now John’s son, Mike Zupan.
