EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- A University of Oregon student who died over the weekend following a bike-car crash is being remembered by family, friends, and UO faculty and staff, while the man accused in his death is now facing increased charges.
24-year old Craig Macfie died Saturday, November 19th, 2011, from head injuries he received in a car-bicycle crash with an alleged drunk driver.
Around 2:30 a.m., Friday, November 18th, 2011, Macfie was riding a bike on West 11th Avenue near High Street. Eugene Police says Macfie was in the bike lane when a driver, 21-year old Patrick Compton, hit Macfie from behind in a Toyota 4-Runner. Compton is also a University of Oregon student.
Monday, November 21st, 2011, Compton was arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court on Manslaughter 2 and DUII charges. Compton was originally arrested for Assault 2. Manslaughter 2 is a degree of homicide and carries a harsher penalty.
Family and the local University of Oregon community are now remembering Macfie, who was a transfer student from Scotland.
Macfie came to the UO for Business Administration and Sports Marketing.
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, Mike Eyster got to know Craig’s family over the last few days following the crash.
Eyster says he learned friends called him a fun-loving guy, while faculty say he was a very competent person.
Macfie was slated to graduate in December 2011. He already had a job lined up in London.
During his time at the UO, he made friends with other students through skiing. Friends say he was an Olympic level athlete, taking part in UO’s Alpine Racing Team.
“He was a part of the Duck family that really makes the University of Oregon what it is,” said Eyster.
“I learned from one of his friends, Craig spent last summer going door to door in my home state of Nebraska, selling books and he sold a lot of them... So he must have been quite a charming guy as well because you know, not everybody wants to buy books from somebody knocking on their door,” said Eyster.
Students also honored Macfie on Monday with an article in the student newspaper, the Oregon Daily Emerald. Sunday night, friends put together an impromptu remembrance gathering to share pictures in a slideshow. Macfie’s family is in the process of planning a memorial service.
University of Oregon students who are struggling with the news of Macfie’s death are being encouraged to visit the school’s counseling center.
The Macfie family has asked that donations be made in Craig’s name to Mothers Against Drunk Driving at www.madd.org, or Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 511 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 700, Irving, TX, 75062.
