Oregon teen's estate sued by fatal crash victim's family, injured survivor

By Jim Greene

Published on September 06, 2005

Mark Robustelli this week filed a suit against the estate of Kevan Thatcher-Stephens, who was legally intoxicated and driving at over 100 miles per hour when he ran a red light while being pursued by police Feb. 11. Thatcher-Stephens' Jeep Cherokee collided with a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Charles Bench. Both drivers died, and Robustelli, a passenger in Bench's vehicle, and Ian Graham-Collier, a passenger in Thatcher-Stephens' vehicle, were injured. Robustelli's left leg was shattered, and he spent several weeks in the hospital.

Bench's family has already filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Thatcher-Stephens' estate. The suit does not name the teen's parents. The Bench family's attorney said he is still trying to determine if others had responsibility. Of particular interest is how Thatcher-Stephens came to have a blood alcohol level nearly twice the state legal limit at the time of the accident.

Police investigators are trying to determine whether Thatcher-Stephens was drinking at the home of Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Orf and her husband, defense attorney David Orf. The couple was on vacation in Mexico for at the time of accident and their son, Drew, is known to have hosted parties for teen-aged friends at the Orf home.

Comment on this article →