‘Aren’t any words’: Sister of deadly crash victim demands accountability

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - It’s been more than a week since 41-year-old Sascha Elliott was killed in a deadly car crash on Northeast Columbia Boulevard and her sister is demanding someone be held accountable.

Destiny Elliott said her sister was driving west on the high traffic road when she was hit by another car going the opposite direction. Investigators said that driver was going at a high rate of speed. The impact killed Sascha instantly.

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“There aren’t any words to describe the loss we’re going through right now besides that we love her and she’s truly missed,” Destiny Elliott said.

Elliott described her sister as the glue in her family. She was the oldest sibling and took her role as that, very seriously.

“She took care of my grandma who is 80 years old, and raised her son by herself, she’s a hard worker,” Elliott said. “She was a backbone for me.”

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A makeshift memorial for the dead woman has formed near the Northeast 33rd Avenue and Northeast Columbia Boulevard interchange. Candles and flowers for Sascha Elliott sit on cinderblocks.

Portland Police said one other car and a semi-truck were also involved in the crash. The people inside those vehicles survived. It’s unclear whether the driver who caused the crash was taken into custody or is facing charges.

“Somebody needs to be held accountable for this,” Destiny Elliott said. “Columbia Boulevard is very dangerous. I noticed, just being out here for the candle vigil, it’s not safe.”

FOX 12 reached out to the Portland Bureau of Transportation Thursday to ask if there are any plans to address speeding concerns on Northeast Columbia Boulevard but there was no response. Portland Police said this year, 61 people have died on city roads, that’s just shy of 2021′a record year of 67 deaths.

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“There’s nothing out here to slow the traffic down, there are no speedometers, there’s nothing out here and it’s not safe,” Destiny Elliott said.

As Elliott grieves, she’s hoping something changes so no family has to experience when she’s going through right before Christmas.

“I want to bring light to Columbia Boulevard and to Sascha’s death,” Elliott said. “It needs to be heard, it needs to not go unseen or unheard. Somebody needs to be held accountable for Sascha’s death.”

Follow this link to donate to the Elliott family’s GoFundMe

Click here to donate a meal for Destiny Elliott’s grandmother who is battling dementia

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