Family of girl killed last year urging Halloween safety this year

Annie Boyer can’t go into her 7-year-old daughter’s old bedroom, its walls decorated with photos of Paris.

She can’t read the messages of love that the second-grader wrote in crayon on dozens of pieces of paper.

But mostly, she can’t bear to see photos of her blond-haired girl taken as she beamed back at her mother through the camera lens.

And even though she can’t, she wants you to.

“I want everybody to see the beautiful little girl we lost because of someone else’s actions,” Boyer said. “I want people to know how real this is, that it could happen to anyone.”

Boyer’s daughter, Cadence, was fatally injured last Halloween night when an allegedly intoxicated driver tore onto the sidewalk and struck the trick-or-treater. Cadence was one of three Clark County people who died last year because of suspected intoxicated driving on Halloween night.

Police are upping their enforcement Saturday in an attempt to prevent another deadly Halloween night from happening again.

Tragedy strikes

Dressed in her pink Batgirl outfit, Cadence excitedly ran around her home on the evening of Oct. 31. Before Cadence and her mom headed out, Boyer got a call from Chelina Alsteen, who said that 6-year-old Ava Carrodus didn’t have anyone to go trick-or-treating with. The four decided to go together.

Having filled their bags full of candy, the group grew tired as they walked along Northeast 112th Avenue in Vancouver at about 8:20 p.m. But before turning in, they decided to make one more stop.

“I wish I could go back and not go to that apartment,” Boyer said.

It was then that 47-year-old Duane C. Abbott allegedly drove his 1967 Ford Mustang onto the sidewalk, careening into the group. Boyer, Alsteen, Cadence and Ava were all rushed to local hospitals. Ava was treated and released from the hospital about a week later.

Alsteen suffered a traumatic brain injury and several broken bones, including a broken spine and leg, and was treated at Vibra Specialty Hospital of Portland for several months.

Boyer suffered a crushed pelvis, broken shoulder, broken arm and a broken vertebra, and she said she still suffers from pain associated with those injuries.

Cadence suffered a broken back and had no blood flow to her brain. She was on life support at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland before she died two days after the crash.

Abbott later told police he smokes 2 to 3 grams of marijuana daily and that he smoked his last joint three hours before the crash, according to court records. He faces vehicular homicide charges and three counts of vehicular assault. He is scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 16.

A busy night

Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Mike Chylack was one of the three officers who first arrived at the crash scene. Medics had already taken Cadence away, but he saw the aftermath: candy sprawled on the grass, abandoned trick-or-treating bags and a little girl’s boot.

“Every officer was affected,” he said, adding that all three of them had children. “It makes it a lot harder.”

That night nearly a year ago, Chylack said, was the busiest night he’s worked in his 21 years as a police officer.

Nearly 90 minutes after the trick-or-treaters were struck, police responded to a crash on Northeast 136th Avenue and Fourth Street in Vancouver. Officers found that an Acura Integra had crashed into a traffic pole with enough force to tear the car in two.

The driver, William W. McCulloch, 17, and his passenger, Shaun M. Hvass, 18, were pronounced dead at the scene. They both had alcohol in their system, Vancouver police Sgt. Pat Johns said.

The crashes made an already hectic night busier; patrol officers also responded to reports of robberies and shots fired.

While police were investigating the crash on Northeast 112th Avenue, a vehicle rammed through the barricade at about 1:30 a.m. and nearly hit several officers. The driver, identified as Timothy E. Woodward, 29, of Portland, also allegedly was intoxicated.

Increased patrols

This Halloween, the Vancouver Police Department is putting at least three extra officers on the road to look out for intoxicated drivers. Though they didn’t get the grant money they’d hoped for, Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp said that they think the overtime is worth it.

“We’re all sort of on pins and needles,” Kapp said. “Stay home, arrange for a cab — whatever they do, don’t change someone’s life because you’re going to a Halloween party. It’s not worth that for anybody.”

Johns added that the monetary loss of an intoxicated-driving citation isn’t worth it either.

“Take an Uber or a taxi. It’s cheaper than upwards of $10,000 for a DUI,” he said.

With rain forecast for Saturday, Johns said that visibility will be low — which means both motorists and trick-or-treaters should use extra caution.

Almost half of all traffic fatalities on Halloween night involve an impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and that number is higher when the holiday falls on a weekend.

“Have a safe holiday, wear bright clothes, wear (glow sticks) that illuminate who you are and where you’re at,” he said. Though pedestrians have the right of way, Johns said, “we want you to yield to everybody. You’re not going to win the fight with the car, motorcycle or bus.”

The Boyers have the same message.

Cathy Boyer, Cadence’s grandmother, works for Northwest Traffic Control. The company made 300 reflective trick-or-treat bags for children in honor of Cadence and to promote safety.

“Don’t think you’re invincible,” Annie Boyer said. “I’m worried. I hope it doesn’t happen again to someone else’s family.”