Salem pedestrian’s death ruled a suicide

SALEM – The death of a Salem woman who stepped onto Interstate 5 after causing a disturbance at a restaurant has been ruled a suicide.

The woman, 19-year-old Sofia Diaz-Piceno, was struck by at least two vehicles Sunday.

Oregon State Police Lt. Mark Duncan said investigators received numerous statements that the young mother shared feelings of depression with family and friends in the days leading up to her death.

One of her brothers, Sergio Piceno, told the Statesman Journal that his sister had been struggling with depression for about two years. Her family pleaded she enter counseling, but she wasn’t comfortable sharing her life with strangers.