Man accused of operating e-scooter while drunk faces manslaughter charge

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Beaverton man was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly causing a fatal crash involving an e-scooter and a tractor-trailer in the Lloyd District of Portland last month, authorities said.

The Portland Police Bureau said it was 21-year-old Jayden S. Calkin who was allegedly operating an e-scooter, occupied by a second person who was riding with him, when the e-scooter crashed into the tractor-trailer in the early morning of August 17.

The person who was riding with Calkin on the e-scooter died at the scene, and Calkin was taken to the hospital that same night with what was reported to be serious injuries. The victim who died was later identified as 24-year-old Portland resident Gerardo A. Ortiz Henriquez.

The crash happened on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Northeast Holladay Street. At the time, the driver of the tractor-trailer reportedly did not stop at the scene. However, police said the driver wasn’t aware of the e-scooter crashing into his tractor-trailer and kept on driving, while a witness followed him. The driver was later fully cooperative with the investigation, police said.

In addition, police said they don’t believe it was the actions of the tractor-trailer driver that caused the crash. Rather, the scooter operator, Calkin, is believed to be at fault and allegedly crashed into the tractor-trailer, causing Henriquez’s death, police said.

Calkin is accused of operating the e-scooter while under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. In addition, neither Calkin nor Henriquez was wearing helmets, police said.

Last week, a grand jury indicted Calkin on multiple charges and a warrant was put out for his arrest. On Wednesday, Calkin turned himself in to PPB’s Central Precinct. He was arrested and faces charges that include second-degree manslaughter, DUII and reckless driving.