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Baker County Press
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Friday, November 11, 2016 • Volume 3, Issue 46
Suspect leads police on
high-speed chase
BY KERRY McQUISTEN
News@TheBakerCountyPress.com
An attempt to serve a
warrant on Robert Flores
of Baker City ended in a
high-speed chase fol-
lowed by a foot pursuit in
the mountains just out-
side Medical Springs on
Tuesday.
Just before 11 a.m., ac-
cording to a press release
from Sheriff Travis Ash,
law enforcement offi cers
from the Baker County
Sheriff’s Offi ce and Baker
City Police Department
pulled over Flores in a
vehicle on Interstate 84
near milepost 301, and at-
tempted to serve a warrant.
In an interview Tuesday
evening, Baker City Police
Chief Wyn Lohner said
the warrant, which was
for disorderly conduct and
harassment, had been in
place for several days, but
Flores had been elusive
during “multiple at-
tempts” to serve it. “They
all proved unsuccessful,”
Lohner said.
Lohner said during the
traffi c stop, Flores was
riding as a passenger. His
wife, Sindy, was driving.
Flores pushed her out of
the vehicle and took off
at a high rate of speed in
his gold-toned Cadillac
Escalade.
Lohner expressed frustra-
tion with his own vehicle,
which maxed out around
105 miles per hour.
According to Ash, Flores
left the freeway, heading
up Highway 203 at Medi-
cal Springs, then traveled
across dirt roads and up
Big Creek.
Scanner chatter indicat-
ed that Flores was corner-
ing well and staying in the
correct lane for the most
part, despite the high rate
of speed, which ranged
between 80 and 105 mph.,
slowing to 50 or so after
leaving the paved roads.
For several minutes, of-
fi cers maintained a visual
of the vehicle, but then
lost sight of it, seeing
only what looked like the
correct tire tracks running
through water puddles in
certain places.
Photo courtesy of the Baker County Sheriff’s Offi ce
Robert Flores led law enforcement on a high-speed
vehicle chase followed by a foot search Tuesday.
SEE CHASE PAGE 5
City Council hears about
FBI training experience
2016
election
results
• ASH WINS SHERIFF’S RACE BY LARGE
MARGIN, 1-74 UP IN THE AIR STILL
With 8,870 total votes cast so far, Baker County has a
79.62% voter turnout this election. In the race for Baker
County Sheriff, incumbent Travis Ash has 5,243 votes
and Deputy John Hoopes 3,113 votes, giving the win to
Ash. Nonpartisan initiative 1-74 is ahead by 92 votes at
present, but with an estimated 150 ballots or more still in
the process of arrival or with signatures being verifi ed,
1-74 is too close to call.
Other unoffi cial Baker County results are as follow
with the fi rst number, the total votes, and the second the
percentage:
United States President and Vice President
Donald J. Trump/Mike Pence (REP) 6,160 70.85
Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine (DEM) 1,781 20.49
Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka (PCG) 133 1.53
Gary Johnson/Bill Weld (LBT) 405 4.66
WRITE-IN 215 2.47
US Senator
Steven C Reynolds (IND) 307 3.57
Ron Wyden (DEM)
3,321 38.63
Mark Callahan (REP) 4,608 53.59
Eric Navickas (PCG) 75 .87
SEE ELECTION RESULTS PAGE 4
Gina K. Swartz/ The Baker County Press
At left, Baker City Police Chief Wyn Lohner. At right, Lt. Dustin Newman who spent the summer in Quantico
at the FBI Training Academy.
BY GINA K. SWARTZ
Gina@TheBakerCountyPress.com
With Mayor Mosier absent, Vice Mayor Mike Downing
opened the election eve meeting. Councilor Thomas led
the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a simple invocation
in which he asked, “Please direct our hearts and minds on
what is best for Baker City.”
After roll call by Julie Smith, City Recorder, show-
ing all Councilors present, with the exception of Mayor
Mosier, Vice Mayor Downing quickly moved to the task
of approving the consent agenda, which consisted of a
liquor license application for AJ’s Cornerbrick Bar and
Grill and minutes from both the October 11, 2016 and
October 25, 2016 regular Council meetings.
With no corrections, comments or further discussion
heard, Councilor Thomas made a motion to accept the
consent agenda with a second heard by Councilor Lowe.
A unanimous vote to approve was cast.
Wasting no time, Vice Mayor Downing called for
Citizen Participation. Departing Fire Chief Mark John
approached Council and stated, “I just wanted to take a
moment to say thank you and goodbye to all of you. I’ve
truly, truly enjoyed my time here; it’s been a tremendous
experience for me. I can only hope that I’ve made a posi-
tive contribution to both the Department and the commu-
nity. It’s really been remarkable.”
Friday
Partly sunny with increasing clouds late. Highs
in the mid 60s. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with
sporadic showers. Lows in the mid 40s, chance
of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with a chance for showers. Highs
in the mid 50s. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy and cooler. Lows
in the mid 30s.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy and cool. Highs in the mid 50s.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with rain showers.
Chance of precipitation is 60%, lows near 40.
Council all thanked John as he returned to his seat.
“We will miss you,” Vice Mayor Downing said. With
no one else present for Citizen Participation, Downing
moved forward with the agenda.
FBI Academy Presentation
Lieutenant Dustin Newman of the Baker City Police
Department (BCPD) recently had the opportunity to at-
tend the FBI training academy, which originally began in
1935, in an effort to help unite departments with profes-
sionalism and standardization in police work.
Newman said, “You know, that’s kinda funny we heard
that in the 30s and now we’re hearing it again today.”
Newman attended the academy over the summer back
east. Newman said, “I was class 265.” Newman ac-
knowledged this opportunity was provided at little to no
cost to him or others from smaller departments with little
or no means to provide such a level of training.
Newman described the training as “probably the hard-
est 10 weeks of my life. Leaving all responsibilities like
work and family behind and just being a student. Writing
papers, being on camera and giving presentations.”
As he turned to Council, he said,“There is no reason to
keep it all to myself. I feel it’s a very important thing to
do when you go to a training like that you come back and
tell people about your experience.”
Triple C Redi-Mix Inc.
42430 Atwood Rd. (Atwood Road & Hwy 86) •
Baker City • 541-523-6648
CCB 90220
Th ank you, veterans, for
fi ghting for our freedoms.
SEE CITY COUNCIL: FBI TRAINING PAGE 8
Your weekend weather forecast for Baker County.
Our forecast made possible by this
generous sponsor:
Offi cial weather provider for
The Baker County Press.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Man creates custom canes
Smoke alarms donated to BCFD
Shots not fi red despite report
School Board training
Sumpter City Council
Messages to veterans
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