2A • July 10, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Trial to take place in the fall
in Seaside hammer attack
Hammer attack in February
sent man to hospital
EO Media Group
One of the two men accused
of attempted murder for alleged-
ly assaulting another man with
a hammer in February is set for
trial this fall.
Judge Philip Nelson set a
two-to-three day trial to begin
Oct. 6 in Clatsop County Circuit
Court for Kevin Michael Burn-
ham, 25, of Seaside.
Burnham is accused of at-
tempted murder, two counts
of ¿rst-degree robbery, two
counts of criminal conspiracy,
¿rst-degree assault, two counts
of third-degree assault and sec-
ond-degree theft.
Joshua Lee Fitch, 23, of
Longview, Wash., is accused of
the same charges.
The robbery and theft charges
relate to Burnham and Fitch re-
portedly stealing the victim’s
backpack.
At the hearing Monday, Burn-
ham was originally scheduled
to accept a plea deal. However,
his defense attorney Rock Pizzo
submitted a request three hours
before the hearing to postpone
the deal and set a trial date.
“I don’t want to lose that of-
fer, but we are trying to get a
better offer than that,” Pizzo
said. “At this point, we are ask-
ing for trial.”
Prosecutor Dawn Buzzard
Kevin Michael Burnham
said she will not budge from her
offer of 70 months — or nearly
six years — in prison for plead-
ing to a lesser charge of sec-
ond-degree robbery.
Judge Nelson is giving Burn-
ham two weeks to consider the
offer before proceeding to trial.
On Feb. 20, Seaside Police re-
sponded to Providence Seaside
Hospital after receiving a report
of a man who had suffered a se-
rious head injury.
The man reported being as-
saulted with hammers by two
other men, later identi¿ed as
Burnham and Fitch. The victim
was transported to a Portland-ar-
ea hospital, and later released.
Fitch and Burnham were ar-
rested Feb. 27 in Seaside after a
weeklong investigation, accord-
ing to Seaside Police.
Both men were out on condi-
tional release for previous crimes
when they allegedly committed
the attempted murder, according
to the District Attorney’s Of¿ce.
Fitch was arrested Feb. 3
for unlawful manufacturing of
marijuana within 1,000 feet of
a school, possession of meth-
amphetamine and two counts of
child endangerment.
Burnham was arrested Feb. 8
for possession of methamphet-
amine and ¿rst-degree criminal
trespass after Seaside Police
found him squatting in a Seaside
residence.
Burnham is scheduled to be
sentenced for the drug posses-
sion case on Aug. 6.
For the attempted murder
case, Buzzard said, she is still
deciding if she wants to con-
solidate Burnham and Fitch as
co-defendants. Currently, Fitch
is scheduled for a ¿nal resolu-
tion conference on July 31, usu-
ally the last hearing before a set-
tlement or trial.
“I have to decide if I will do a
motion to consolidate. Normal-
ly that makes sense, but there
is case law that says I can’t in-
troduce evidence Mr. Fitch said
(about Burnham),” Buzzard
said. “That would be the reason
not to because we wouldn’t be
able to get in all of their state-
ments.”
Burnham, who appeared via
video link Monday from Clatsop
County Jail, is being held in cus-
tody on $250,000 bail.
Fitch, who is represented
by defense lawyer James von
Boeckmann, is also being held
in custody on $250,000 bail for
the attempted murder case.
Man gets nine years for stabbing
By Kyle Spurr
EO Media Group
The Astoria man found
guilty Thursday, July 2 of stab-
bing another man and threaten-
ing four others was sentenced
to nine years in prison during
a hearing Thursday in Clatsop
County Circuit Court.
Dylan Douglas Snook, 33,
was found guilty on 13 counts
after a three-day trial last week.
The charges included ¿rst-de-
gree assault, ¿ve counts of un-
lawful use of a weapon against
another person, and ¿ve counts
of menacing and fourth-degree
assault. An attempted murder
charge was reduced to attempt-
ed ¿rst-degree assault.
Prosecutor Scott McCrack-
en recommended a nearly 14-
year sentence at the hearing.
“This is a very serious inci-
dent. A lot of people were af-
fected by it and will be affected
for many years going forward,”
McCracken said.
Snook’s defense lawyer Jer-
ry Widawski asked for the min-
imum sentence of 90 months,
or just over seven years.
Widawski noted Snook’s mi-
nor criminal history, which was
completely clean the past four
years prior to the stabbing in-
cident in Seaside last summer.
The defense lawyer described
the incident as a perfect storm
of bad events that occurred.
“90 months is going to ruin
his life anyway, so we ask the
court for the minimum amount
as possible,”
Widawski
said.
S n o o k
was arrested
and booked
Aug. 18, a
day after the
stabbing in-
cident that Dylan Douglas
occurred
near the 300 block of Broad-
way Street in Seaside. Snook
stabbed one man and threat-
ened four others with the knife.
All ¿ve victims testi¿ed at tri-
al.
The stabbing victim, who
had two punctures near his
back, reported the stabbing to
of¿cers.
“Although I maintain my
position that, at the time, I was
defending myself from what I
believed to be serious bodily
harm, possible death, if I could
make that night not happen, I
would,” Snook said at the sen-
tencing hearing.
Snook’s mother, Susan
Wheeler, also spoke at the
hearing Thursday.
As part of his sentence,
Snook was directed to have no
contact with the victims and
pay $2,297 in restitution.
Judge Philip Nelson re-
minded Snook that had the
stabbing victim died, Snook
could have been facing murder
charges.
“A lot of things could have
been a lot worse, it’s bad
enough as it was,” Nelson said.
Seaside Police Log
June 5
7:16 a.m., 400 block of South
Wahanna Road: Caller reported
items taken off front porch in
the middle of the night.
4:35 p.m., Quatat Park: Police
responded to report of minor in
possession of alcohol.
7:19 p.m., 700 block of South
Wahanna Road: Officer advised
of subject possibly going to
drive while intoxicated. Officer
contacted subject, who did
show signs of impairment and
warned him not to drive.
9:40 p.m., Beach and Avenue L:
Police responded to report of
minor in possession of alcohol.
June 6
9:14 a.m., North Prom: Caller re-
ported two males passed out on
the beach with garbage strewn
about them. Officer contacted
subjects and advised of Unlaw-
ful Lodging Ordinance. Subjects
to clean up garbage and will be
departing the area.
5:55 p.m., North Prom: Caller
reported juveniles on top of
parking lot looking into cars.
Officer advised juveniles told by
security it was OK for them to be
there. Lack of communication
between employees.
6:49 p.m., 400 block of South
Columbia Street: Caller re-
porting possible drug activity
and female impaired. Officer
contacted and advised did not
see any paraphernalia although
female did seem under the
influence. Neighbors advised
of options concerning drug
activity.
June 7
11:11 a.m., 2100 block of Lewis
and Clark Drive: Caller request-
ed officer contact due to her
boyfriend threatening to burn
her belongings and set her pets
free. Officer contacted com-
plainant, and advised her no
crime had been committed.
2:04 p.m., 400 block of First
Avenue: Person called 911 twice
to report hit and run to vehicle.
Officer unable to locate suspect
vehicle. Only damage was
crooked license plate, which
complainant fixed on scene.
2:06 p.m., Beach and Avenue U:
Caller reported a male being abu-
sive with his dog. Caller was willing
to flag officer down and sign a
complaint. Officer was unable to
located complainant on arrival.
Officer contacted subject and saw
that dog was fine.
8:19 p.m., North Roosevelt Drive:
Officer located male at restrooms
and requested Medix for him to be
evaluated. He was transported to
the hospital by Medix.
June 8
12:20 a.m., Broadway: Subject
arrested for driving under the
influence of intoxicants.
12:19 p.m., Boat Ramp: Caller re-
porting possible dead body along
the river. Officer responded and
advised of subject taking a nap
and advised of city ordinance and
the fact he was sleeping under a
no overnight camping sign.
7:47 p.m., 1200 blcok of South
Holladay Drive: Caller reported
altercation regarding a purchase.
Officer responded and situation
was resolved.
9:58 p.m., Lewis and Clark Drive
and Wahanna Road: Report of
two vehicles speed racing from
approximately North Coast Family
Fellowship to the retreat apart-
ments; no suspect descriptions.
Officer went out with a possible
suspect vehicle the Clatsop
County Sheriff’s office had on a
traffic stop.
10:03 p.m., 1100 block of North
Wahanna Road: Report of a
disturbance, parties are separated.
Officers made contact. Subject will
find another place to stay tonight.
June 9
12:52 a.m., 400 block of South
Franklin: Subject reported male
was refusing to leave; he then left
but made threats to complainant.
Officer made contact, no crime
committed.
11:27 a.m., 300 block of Broadway:
Complaint of RV parked unlawfully
on Broadway front of Carousel
Mall. Vehicle leaving upon officer’s
arrival.
7:02 p.m., 100 block of South Wa-
hanna Road: 911 caller reported
man sitting in his car. Officer con-
tacted person. It was the manager
and he had a new car. Everything
was fine.
June 10
3:21 p.m., 12th Avenue and
Holladay Drive: Caller requested
a welfare check on a man yelling
and screaming at cars. Officer
made contact and assisted him in
returning home.
7:01 p.m., 300 block of 11th
Avenue: Caller reported barking
dog, followed by gunshot. Officer
responded and found other
witnesses. Apparent bottle rocket
probably scared dog.
9:23 p.m., Southbound on
Holladay Drive: Juveniles reported
being followed by a car. The car left
when they came into the Police
Station. Officers attempted to
locate but vehicle was gone.
June 11
10:11 a.m., 200 block of Broadway:
Complaint of male subject acting
suspicious, cutting up his clothing.
Officers responded.
12:42 p.m., 400 block of First
Avenue: Caller reported transients
sleeping at the Seaside Civic and
Convention Center. Officer advised
them of the lodging ordinances.
June 12
6:30 a.m., 400 block of South
Roosevelt Drive: Caller reported
suspicious drug activity that
occurred yesterday. Officer was
advised and the information was
passed onto task force.
10:04 a.m., 1100 block of Avenue
A: Complaint of suspicious male
jumping into bushes as fire truck
drove by. Male described as white
male, tall in green sweat shirt. Offi-
cers responded unable to locate.
7:05 p.m., Edgewood and Avenue
U: Caller reporting intoxicated fe-
male in the area. Officer contacted
female who was intoxicated but
not a danger to herself and was
staying in the area.
Sandy Shores Gift Expo
July 25, 2015 10-4
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You Never Know What You’ll Find At
A Collectors West Gun & Knife Show!
ASTORIA • JULY 1 8- 1 9
Clatsop Co. Fairgrounds
92937 Walluski Loop
$6 • Sat: 9am -5pm ; Sun: 10am -3pm • Info: collectorsw est.com
TUE. 28TH • CAR-LOAD DAY
Everyone in the ca r ga ins a dm ission for $10
W ED. 29TH • SEN IOR DAY
Seniors (61 a nd up) get in for $1
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FRI. 3 1ST •
APPRECIATION DAY
M ilita ry Personnel,
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fa m ilies a dm itted for
$1 ea ch
SAT. 1ST • LAST
DAY OF THE FAIR
2014 5
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F or m ore in form a tion go to w w w .cla tsopfa irgrou n d s.com
JULY 28
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AUGUST 1
Seaside Civic &
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415 First Ave, Seaside, Oregon
FREE Admission • Entertainment
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