Julian Cecil Ortiz, 19, Alcohol Poisoning

Julian Ortiz lived in McMinneville, Oregon.  His best friend was Kristopher Becker, who was killed in a car crash on May 31, 2007.  Ortiz was a pall-bearer at Becker's funeral service on June 6, 2007.

After the funeral, Ortiz joined  Trevor Alan Tommila (21), his wife Savannah Tommila,   Steven Daniel Segundo (25), and several others at a wake in honor of  Becker.  The wake seems to have included copious alcohol consumption.

Ortiz was found the next day (June 7, 2007) unresponsive on a couch in a back room at the building where the wake was held.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Trevor Alan  Tommila,  Savannah Dawn Tommila, and Steven Daniel Segundo have been charged Ortiz's death.

Three cited in teen father's death

Published: November 10, 2007

By PAUL DAQUILANTE Of the News-Register

Three McMinnville residents are facing legal sanctions in connection with the June 7 alcohol-poisoning death of a McMinnville teen, found unresponsive on a couch in a back room at a funeral wake.

But the dead youth's mother expressed outrage over the nature of those sanctions, saying they're much too light to hold the three accountable.

Scheduled for a pretrial conference Nov. 29 are husband and wife Trevor Alan and Savannah Dawn Tommila, both 21, 116 N.W. 10th St., and Steven Daniel Segundo, 25, 2334 N.W. Shadden Drive.

The Tommilas have each been cited for one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor, a Class A misdemeanor, and one count of allowing a minor to consume alcohol, a violation. Segundo has been cited only for a violation count of allowing a minor to consume.

All three have secured counsel. Trevor Tommila is being represented by Eric Hanson of McMinnville, Savannah Tommila by Mary Biel of McMinnville and Segundo by Elana Flynn of Grand Ronde.

The victim, Julian Cecil Ortiz, 19, 1303 N.E. Ford St., was found on the couch about 1 p.m. Police and medical personnel responded, but were unable to resuscitate him.

According to State Medical Examiner Karen Gunson, Ortiz died of acute alcohol poisoning. She said he had a lethal blood alcohol content of .43, more than five times the presumed level of intoxication in Oregon law of .08.

Ortiz was among more than a dozen people who had gathered the previous day to mourn the passing of Kristopher Becker of McMinnville, who died May 31 of injuries suffered in a motor vehicle crash on Highway 99W.

Ortiz was a pallbearer at Becker's service, which got under way at 2 p.m. at St. James Catholic Church in McMinnville. He was last seen alive about 10 p.m. on the couch where he apparently met his death.

Detective Sherry McCuistion of the McMinnville Police spent months investigating Ortiz's death before a legal case was brought. Given all that investigative effort, said Ortiz's mother, Maria Suarez of McMinnville, it's upsetting to see nothing more come of it than a handful of misdemeanor and violation filings.

"It's like a slap on the wrist," Suarez said. "It's nothing. There's no justice there.

"Something's wrong. I want something done. It's just not fair.

She said, "The whole situation is insane. It's hard for me to comprehend."

The Yamhill County District Attorney's Office could not be reached for an explanation of the charging decision or other aspects of the case.

But Suarez said her son was already despondent, so alcohol was the last thing he needed. And she holds the defendants responsible.

"He had just buried his best friend," she said. "I question the loyalty of others who were Julian's friends.

"I'm finding out things now. Why didn't they come forward in the beginning."

In addition to his mother and father, Sergio B. Ortiz, Julian Ortiz was survived by a fiance, Calli Ives, and their son, Damion, all of McMinnville. "They were working hard at making a life for themselves," Suarez said.

Underage Alcohol Deaths 2004
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2005
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2006

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing, the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system. The victim may experience the following:

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
• No response to pinching the skin
• Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
• Seizures
• Slowed breathing  (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness

Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention

Alcohol Poisoning Cannot Be Reversed By:

• Drinking black coffee
• Taking a cold bath or shower
• Walking it off

The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.

These Children Died of Alcohol Overdose, So Their Parents Started Foundations:

Taylor Webster's memorial foundation.  Taylor died of alcohol  poisoning at age 19-- Now his family and friends are working  to get the message out, telling their stories and providing  information on alcohol poisoning and the signs and symtoms  of alcohol poisoning in hopes that lives will be saved.

Bradley McCue's memorial foundation.  On November 5, 1998  Bradley turned 21. . He celebrated  his birthday in a way that has become increasingly popular, drinking "his  age in shots". That amount of alcohol was lethal and he died  that night of alcohol poisoning.

Samantha Spady's memorial foundation. A 19-year old student at Colorado State University, Spady died of alcohol poisoning on September 5, 2004, "an unintentional tragedy."  The Spadys say the SAM [Student Alcohol Management] Spady Foundation will develop peer-to-peer counseling and other services meant to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse.

Gordie Bailey's memorial foundation.   The mission of the Gordie Foundation is to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing.