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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 2015)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 3 SECTION A DECEMBER 18, 2015 $1.00 Getting a new perspective By CRAIG MURPHY Of the Keizertimes Eric Peterson certainly had preconceived notions in his mind and fi gured they would be proven right. A few days after 22-year- old Brandon Crist of Keizer – the nephew of Peterson’s longtime signifi cant other – died of a heroin overdose in late September, Peterson heard some of Crist’s friends would be gathering at a park in Salem to remember him. “My intention was to go there and hang in the back- ground, scope people out, embed myself, prove my pre- conceived notions,” Peterson said. “What actually happened was one of the most moving experiences of my life.” As Peterson approached the park, he found a group of Crist’s friends. He also saw po- lice lights, since neighbors had complained about noise and a sheriff ’s deputy was waiting for more people to enter the scene. Peterson approached the deputy, explained what was going on and asked for the police lights to be turned off. “I asked the deputy if I could diffuse the gathering, make sure nobody was drink- ing and driving and get them out of there without him get- ting involved,” Peterson said. “He approved and turned off his lights as a group of kids started shuffl ing out of the woods. The deputy backed up his patrol car to the other side of the parking lot while I ap- proached the kids.” With law enforcement backing off, Peterson ap- proached the group. “I tried to corral them and let them know that the cop wasn’t there for them, but that I was there for them,” Pe- terson said. “I wanted to see Brandon’s friends celebrating his life, I wanted to see what they looked like, I wanted to see if they had tears in their eyes or just an excuse to party. Some of them scattered but most stayed, asking me how the family was doing, what the police are doing, are they allowed at the funeral, etc. We talked for a couple min- utes and at one point they all mobbed me with hugs, one right after another like after a football game pile on. It was very surreal. “I assumed every single person in his life was a junkie and ev- ery minute of his day was spent chasing that fi x.” — Eric Peterson “I made sure they were cool to drive, told them to keep talking about Bran- don on social media because it means a lot to the family and that’s how they will fi nd out about his memorial,” he added. “Another larger group came out of the woods shortly thereafter and the whole sce- nario was repeated with the mass hug and all.” In a matter of moments, Peterson found his stereotypes shattered. “My preconceived notion is that these are a bunch of kids that look like they are never going to make it if they don’t play the game, the same advice I gave Brandon many times,” Peterson said. “I think that af- ter meeting them and seeing their hearts instead of their messed up hair and piercings and tattoos that I am the one who is never going to make it unless I play the game. I’ve be- come more tolerant to people and life in general in just the short time since his death and I attribute it to that night. “These weren’t the friends Brandon was doing heroin with,” he added. “I assumed every single person in his life was a junkie and every minute of his day was spent chasing that fi x. I’ve come to learn that his friends loved him more than anything. He helped out people constantly with the most menial things like changing tires for people in need and picking stuff up at the store for friends and countless stories of him being a shoulder to cry on when life was kicking them down. I’ve learned that he was a talented artist, a beautiful writer and practiced a Polynesian form of fi re art and dance that blows my mind away. I never got to know that side of him, never even knew it existed.” Unfortunately, Peterson did know the drug side existed. It was an all too familiar story for Peterson. His immediate family members have been decimated by drug addictions, though Crist was the fi rst to die of a drug overdose. Please see DARK, Page A9 Parade lights up the night c hasing Dark Palma Ciea Park update PAGE A2 Chasing Dark is an ongoing series looking at heroin abuse in Keizer. For past stories, please visit keizertimes.com/category/chasing-dark/ Keizerite arrested for rape charges By CRAIG MURPHY Of the Keizertimes A Keizer man was arrested earlier this month in connec- tion with raping three people in the last 15 years, two of whom were minors at the time. Keizer Police Department detectives arrested Nikolay Avdeyev, 52, a Keizer resident on the 1300 block of Angie Way NE, on Dec. 3. An indictment hearing for Dec. 18 has been pushed back to Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 8:30 a.m. Court papers show more than 20 charges fi led against Avdeyev. Jeff Kuhns, deputy police chief with the KPD, said Avdeyev was not a strang- er to his victims. There are two court dock- ets concerning Avdeyev. One has a single charge, rape in the fi rst degree. According to the court papers, the sexual inter- course took place on or be- tween Sept. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009. The other court docket lists 19 charges, 18 of which are concerning one victim. That docket lists three counts of rape in the fi rst degree, fi ve counts of rape in the second degree, 11 counts of sex abuse and a sexual penetration with a foreign object charge. Both vic- tims in the second docket are listed as children under the age of 14. The multiple acts on the N. Avdeyev fi rst victim are listed as taking place between Jan. 1, 1999 and Dec. 31, 2002. The timeline on the second victim is listed as taking place between Jan. 1, 2000 and Dec. 31, 2001. Court papers list Avdeyev as being a public safety risk, a danger to victims and a fl ight risk. His total bail is listed as $2 million, according to the Marion County Correctional Facility roster. Kuhns said two detectives worked what he referred to as a “rather involved sex abuse investigation.” Patrick Lamb concert PAGE A6 Breakfast with Santa PAGE A8 3 bomb threats at Keizer schools KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald (top) and Craig Murphy (bottom) Per usual, the Cherriots bus (top) and Viesko Quality Concrete truck (above) were well decorated for last Saturday's annual Festival of Lights Holiday Parade down River Road in Keizer. This year marked a milestone as it was the 25th anniversary of the nighttime December parade. As such, the theme for this year's parade was Silver Bells. Several entries, including the Cherriots bus, emphasized the theme. Despite plenty of rain leading up to the parade, once the show began the weather was dry and stayed that way for the duration of the parade, which was shorter than usual. There were 37 entries, with several commenting afterwards the $500 entry fee for businesses to enter the parade may have contributed to keeping the numbers down. For more photos, please see pages A14-15. Additional photos can be found on the Keizertimes Facebook page. By CRAIG MURPHY Of the Keizertimes Two bomb threats at two Keizer schools in two days was unusual enough. That makes three such threats in four school days all the more unusual. McNary High School par- ents received an automated phone message last Thursday, Dec. 10 about a threat found at the school that day. School was open as usual Dec. 11, but with extra se- curity. Attendance was lower than usual. Jeff Kuhns, deputy chief of the Keizer Police Department, said the threat was being in- vestigated. “We treat any and all threats made against a school as a very serious matter and investigate each accordingly as a crimi- nal matter,” Kuhns said. “The Salem-Keizer School District and the Keizer Police Depart- ment are working together on this matter.” On the afternoon of Dec. 11, a new threat was discov- ered at Claggett Creek Middle School. Jay Remy, Commu- nications director for SKSD, confi rmed CCMS parents were notifi ed via phone about the incident. “Due to a bathroom graf- fi ti bomb threat, the kids at Claggett Creek Middle School were taken right across the street to Weddle Elementary School,” Remy said. “They were there for about 40 min- utes. We ask parents to remind students that making threats can result in criminal charges and school consequences.” Students were supervised inside Weddle until the nor- mal release time, with buses picking up CCMS students at Weddle. The release time for Weddle students was not im- pacted. McNary was the target of another threat, with this one being found on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Jay Crystal, assistant princi- pal at MHS, sent out a phone message to parents. “On Tuesday, a graf- fi ti bomb threat message was found on a bathroom wall in Please see THREAT, Page A13 Grapplers take 3 of 5 PAGE A10