Portland approves $80,000 settlement in Ashley McGill wrongful‑death case

The Portland City Council on Thursday approved an emergency ordinance to pay $80,000 to settle a wrongful‑death lawsuit brought on behalf of Ashley McGill, who was struck and killed on Aug. 27, 2022, at Southeast Stark and Southeast 133rd Street.

Caroline Turco of the City Attorney’s Office told the council the crash stemmed from high‑speed street‑racing behavior. “At the intersection where the crash occurred, there is a pedestrian refuge island,” Turco said. She told council that speed racers’ conduct was the primary cause but that a jury could nevertheless find the city’s failure to repair the island to be a contributing cause. The estate had sought $15 million in damages before the parties reached mediation and a negotiated $80,000 settlement.

Councilor Zimmerman asked about vehicle speed; staff cited a Portland Police Bureau investigation that measured the striking vehicle at 84 miles per hour. Turco said the estate had sued multiple parties, including the speed racers and vehicle owners, and that the speed racers lacked insurance and were incarcerated, creating additional trial‑risks for the city.

Several councilors offered condolences and asked for follow‑up on preventing future incidents. Councilor Kunal noted street racing as an ongoing safety problem and said he expects continued oversight and reporting from the police bureau and risk management so the public can better understand trends in claims and enforcement.

Rebecca, the clerk, called the roll on the emergency ordinance; the measure passed with 11 ayes and 1 absent.

The council did not take additional action on roadway design or traffic enforcement during the session; councilors requested staff follow up on beacon repair schedules and broader tracking of claims and countermeasures.