- Gabriel Owens, 45, killed Kira Haston in a car accident in September. He later died of a fentanyl overdose
- Owens received $10 million in 2016 after suffering a bicycle accident at a resort that left him a paraplegic
- Kyle Haston is now considering a civil lawsuit after Owens' death left him unable to face a manslaughter charge
A battle is brewing over the $10 million estate of an Oregon millionaire who killed a woman while driving high.
In September, 45-year-old Gabriel Owens crashed his 2022 Tesla sedan head-on into a 2005 Mazda driven by Kira Haston, killing her. Owens died weeks later of a fentanyl overdose, meaning he was never convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Owens himself was a paraplegic, a condition he suffered in 2016 when he crashed his mountain bike into a sign at the Mt. Hood Skibowl.
He was awarded $10.5 million in a civil lawsuit in which he claimed the sign should have been collapsible.
Now Haston's brother Kyle is considering filing a lawsuit against Owens' estate to recover $10 million for his sister's alleged wrongful death.
A battle is brewing over the $10 million estate of Oregon man Gabriel Owens (pictured), who killed a woman in a car crash when he drove up. Owens died of an overdose weeks later
Owens had multiple criminal convictions before the crash that killed Kira Haston, including a misdemeanor count of aggravated harassment in 2019, a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence in 2014 and dozens of traffic violations.
A police report about the September accident said Owens told police he bought hundreds of fentanyl pills for $1 each in downtown Portland six weeks before the accident.
“It's dangerous as hell, every time I take one it scares me,” he told officers at the scene, according to The Oregonian.
He claimed he had not taken fentanyl on the day of the accident, but had drunk alcoholic “buzzballs” the night before.
However, authorities questioning him found he was stumbling over his words and showing “obvious” signs of impairment. Owens provided a blood sample that tested positive for fentanyl and the sedative benzodiazepines, as well as traces of alcohol.
A police report said Owens yelled “See you in hell!” to his mother, who showed up at the scene of the accident.
The money from the civil lawsuit over his bicycle accident meant Owens was able to post $250,000 bail after being charged in Haston's death.
Kyle Haston, the brother of Kira Haston (pictured), is considering suing Owens' estate
On September 8 around 1 p.m., officers found Owens and his 2022 Tesla sedan colliding head-on with Kira Haston's 2005 Mazda
His wealth had been awarded to him in a civil lawsuit after he was injured in a mountain bike accident on Mount Hood. Owens suffered a spinal fracture below the navel while riding a Double Black Diamond trail in 2016
The money from the civil suit meant Owens was able to post $250,000 bail after being charged in Haston's death
Owens later hired a “24/7 sober companion” to follow pretrial rules after he missed a check at the county clerk's office and prosecutors tried to put him back in jail.
A judge allowed him to remain free after imposing further conditions on his release because it was revealed that Owens was hospitalized with an infection. He died of an apparent overdose on October 11, so charges are still pending.
His death now leads to a dispute over his assets, as Owens had no children and no will.
Kyle Haston's attorney, Jon Friedman, says at least half of the $10.5 million still sits in a brokerage account owned by Owens. Her family now wants that money and is considering a wrongful death lawsuit.
“It's a tragic story for both families,” Kyle Haston said. “I'm glad he's off the streets of Clackamas County for everyone's safety. “But it came at such a great cost.”