North Gilliam EMT killed in car accident

An Emergency Medical Technician with North Gilliam Medic was tragically killed in a car accident on July 16.

Richard Hernandez, a 34 year old man from Boardman, was on his way to work at his second job in Morrow County when he was in a head-on collision on Bombing Range Road near Boardman. He passed away at the site of the crash.

Hernandez had been with North Gilliam Medic for about eight months.

Hernandez grew up in Boardman and graduated from Riverside High School.

North Gilliam EMS Chief David Anderson said that Hernandez was reliable and brought several years of valuable experience to North Gilliam EMS.

Hernandez worked as an EMT with the Morrow County Health District prior to joining the North Gilliam EMS team. Prior to that, he was a member of the Boardman Fire and Rescue, and with Heppner Fire and Rescue, and Umatilla County.

Hernandez began working part-time for North Gilliam EMS in December of 2023. He was also employed as an EMT for an Amazon data center in Boardman.

Chief David Anderson said that Hernandez primarily worked weekends and the overnight shift, which was valuable for the strapped EMS crew, which needed downtime.

Chief Anderson said that Hernandez was professional and a good colleague.

Known as "Butters" by his coworkers and "Tito" by friends and family, Hernandez was known to lend a hand to those in need and for his commitment to service as an emergency responder.

"He was a neat guy – quiet, unassuming, personable, great with patients, great with employees," North Gilliam EMS Chief David Anderson said.

During the funeral procession in Boardman, some 40 EMS vehicles from multiple agencies took part in a large show of respect.

Chief Anderson said that as the funeral procession passed by a group of workers in a field, they all stopped working and stood by a fence to watch and pay tribute.

Hernandez is survived by his wife, Donna Sherman, whom he married in April 2024. He is also survived by his parents, Roberto and Esthela, brothers Roberto and Ramiro, and his nephew, Mateo.