August 28, 2009
By Dan Corcoran
Junction City, Ore.--
Loved ones returned to the site of a crash that claimed the lives of two Lane County residents just north of Junction City. State troopers say Kenny Bowman, 33, was driving with his children on Highway 99 Thursday night when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line. Both Bowman and the operator of the other car, Deborah Fernandez, 48, of Philomath, were pronounced dead at the scene. Bowman's three children sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Comments
Deb Fernandez, wife, mother, will be greatly missed
Dear Dan Corcoran,
As tragic as this situation is, it is only fair that you include my mother Deb Fernandez' story as well as Kenny Bowman's. She was a beloved mother of three thriving adult children. She and her husband had been together for 20 years. Her family's hearts are torn wide open with this sudden loss. As our hearts go out to the Bowman family, it is not fair to only share his side of this tragedy. Deb Fernandez was a well loved human resources director at the City of Eugene. Everyone she encountered was struck by her wit and contagiously optimistic view on life. She had a family, brothers, nieces, nephews and grand daughters!!! She was a person and not just a name. Please rectify this horrible situation. We feel as though she was greatly disrespected during your news update this evening. No one tried to contact our family in regards to our loss. We are requesting that both sides of the story are reported. No one knows the true reality of what happened in those last few seconds. Just because Kenny Bowman had children in the car does not make it okay to hold Deb responsible for instigating the crash that is still under INVESTIGATION! My family and I would like to see this resolved as soon as possible.
-Ashley Markham
daughter of Deb Fernandez
Ashley
Your mother was a wonderful, funny, loving, giving, and unforgettable woman and I would be happy to 'claim' her as part of my family. She will be missed so much in the office and please know all of us have you, your family, and the Bowman family in our hearts.
I too have been saddened by the lack of reporting on the accident - especially the lack of Deb's story. She wasn't just a driver, she was a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and co-worker who had a huge heart and I know it would be breaking right now for the Bowman family.
I couldn't agree more with
I couldn't agree more with the comments made by Ashley regarding the coverage of this story. My heart breaks for both families. Clearly, there was no need to treat this story in such a one-sided manner. Two families lost loving and wonderful family members. I lost a friend and colleague who was selfless and all about enriching the lives of those around her. Please keep in mind that your viewing audience and community extends to communities beyond a 30 mile radius of Eugene and next time tell the rest of the story in an unbiased and newsworthy manner.
A Corvallis viewer