Scappoose School District Superintendent Tim Porter responded to community calls for action in a letter June 17. (File Photo)

Scappoose School District Superintendent Tim Porter sent a letter to families in response to community calls for action after a high school student died in a vehicle crash allegedly caused by underage drinking at a school board member’s home.

In a statement sent June 17, Porter recognized the allegations against school board member Branda Jurasek and the pain felt by community members. However, he said it would be up to law enforcement to conduct an investigation into the incident.

Scappoose High School student Ava Crews attended a party May 18 with a group of other teenagers who were allegedly drinking alcohol, according to court documents. Crews was riding as a passenger in an ATV driven by 18-year-old Ayden Heard and died when Heard allegedly made a sharp turn, causing the vehicle to flip. Heard was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he was driving the vehicle and is now facing criminal charges in the Multnomah County court.

An open letter with 600 signatures as of Tuesday, June 17, alleged that the party was held at Jursek’s home and that there is a history of underage drinking occurring at the property.

The letter asked the school district to conduct an investigation into Jursek and issue a statement calling for her resignation. It also asks the Multnomah County District Attorney to explore criminal charges against Jurasek.

“While we hear and respect the calls for action, it’s important to be clear: law enforcement is actively investigating the situation, and they, not the school district, are the appropriate authority to determine the facts and next steps,” Porter wrote in his response.

The district did not immediately respond to requests for clarification about if it would take any action regarding the incident.