EUGENE, Ore. – A trial is currently underway in Lane County for a Portland woman accused of manslaughter in connection to a fatal car wreck in 2022 that killed her five-year-old daughter.
Back in November 2022, Amber Gonzalez-Riddle was headed west on Highway 58 when she crossed into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with another car. Oregon State Police said she had her two children in the back seat and her boyfriend was in the passenger seat. Court records said Gonzalez-Riddle’s five-year-old daughter was wearing a lap belt, but was not in a booster seat and died as a result of the crash. Her three-year-old child was not belted into her car seat correctly and was injured, court documents said.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Riddle admitted to investigators at the scene of the crash that she had drank two malt liquours and a shot of tequila, as well as smoked marijuana before getting into the driver’s seat. Her boyfriend also allegedly admitted to drinking and smoking marijuana during the drive. Witnesses told police they saw Gonzalez-Riddle driving up to 80 miles per hour and passing in no-passing zones with no tail lights or brake lights before the crash. State police said they found several malt liquor and beer cans at the scene and could smell marijuana in Gonzalez-Riddle’s car. Court records said the two people in the car Gonzalez-Riddle crashed into suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, and their car caught fire after responding police got everyone clear of the crash…