(Tip' Jlortlanò (ßbseruer Page A2 June 04. 2003 P olice Officer Returns Home From Hospital (A P ) — C lackam as County sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Coates has been home for short visits. Now it looks like he’s home for good. Coates, 42, was shot in the face Jan. 9 by Nick Teixeira, 15, whose parents had called police for help taking the youth toa mental facility for treatment, according to police. Officials Thursday said Coates can work on his rehabilitation at home. Coates will still receive round- the-clock nursing care, said Deputy Andrew McVey, Coates’ brother- Fireman Moonlighted as Arsonist Official sentenced to prison for lighting Gorge fires in-law. The officer cannot walk or stand on hisown. He remains unable to swallow and is fed through a tube. In two to three weeks, Coates will undergo another surgery to implant a bone in his skull, McVey said. For now, he wears a bicycle helmet to protect his head. Coates’ wife, Tammy, released a statem ent saying she and the couple’s four children are “excited, yet nervous” about the transition. She said she hopes people will re spect the fam ily’s privacy. Teixeira has pleaded innocent to Sgt. Damon Coates charges o f attempted aggravated murder and first-degree assault with a firearm. He is being held at a Multnomah County juvenile deten tion center. You Owe It To Yourself! DEALERSHIPS Save Time, Save Money! DO IT NOW! CALL 1-877-432-5394 Good Credit? Get Pre-Approved, We offer all of the best rates available whether through Credit Union Direct, Manufacturers, or any of our other lenders! Call For Your Best Deal! Bad Credit? Get Pre-Approved, We offer all of the best rates available for your situation! NOGIMMICKS Be treated with respect. FREECREDIT ANALYSIS! (A P)— A volunteer firefighter who set seven fires in the Colum bia River Gorge last summer pleaded guilty to arson charges and was sentenced to five years in prison. Peter David Traxler, 26, could have spent 23 years in jail and paid a fine o f $ 4 15,000, but under a plea agreement he will be eli gible for boot camp after serving two years in prison. Traxler admitted setting the fires in the Corbett area from July through September 2002. One o f the fires burned a building owned by a church, causing $25,000 dam age, said prosecutor Rod Underhill. Under the plea, Traxler must re pay the church and its insurance company. Underhill said Wednesday that investigators began looking at Traxler as a suspect in a rash o f building and brush fires because he was always the firstfirefighter to arrive. All the fires had a similar origin, a lighted cigar or a match. “ He told investigators that he had a lot o f stresses in his life. relationship and family stress," Underhill said. "H e had his rea sons, but they don’t make any sense.” Underhill said Traxler wanted to become a full-time firefighter, and may have used the fires to display his skill. No one was hurt in the fires. Investigators confronted Traxler about the fires last fall and he admit ted setting them. Since November, Traxler has been living in his parent’s home in Corbett under close supervision. Would-Be Kidnapper Wanted Police search for man scared off by child’s mother Portland Police, in coopera tion w ith Crim e Stoppers, are asking for your help in identify ing a man who attem pted to kid nap a 3-year-old boy from his front yard during the afternoon o f May 22. Police said the man crossed a > fence to gain access to the yard in A police sketch o f an at the 11800 block o f East Burnside tempted kidnapping suspect. where the boy was playing. When utility van. confronted by the child’s mother, The suspect is described as a the suspect jum ped back over the white male in his m id-30’s, 6 feet I fence and fled in a two-tone gray inch to 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 240 to 260 pounds with a stocky build, short brown hair curled up in the back, and brown eyes. At the time, he was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans. The van is described as an older, possibly mid-80s, cargo van with light gray on the top and dark gray on the bottom . The rear w indow s w ere covered with, a brow nish-gold opaque film. The rear license plate appeared to have yellow /orange across the top and a green cactus in the center. Crim e Stoppers is offering a cash rew ard o f up to $1,000 for inform ation, reported to C rim e Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in th is case, or any unsolved felony crim e, and you need not give your name. Call Crim e S top pers at 503 823-HELP (4357). Teens Arrested for Vancouver Arson The V ancouver Fire D epart Two 15-year-old boys were ar ment and V ancouver rested for arson after neighbors P o lice A rso n U nit reported seeing two suspicious have determ ined that teenagers on the property just prior a structure fire on East to the fire. I8lh Street was inten A uthorities said the juveniles tionally set. ignited the fire by lighting card board and clothing being stored in the carport outside the home. No one was injured, but dam ages are estim ated at $80,000. T he j u veniles are also being in v esti gated for acts o f m alicious m is ch ief in the sam e neighborhood. Tree Burglars Rob Vancouver Nursery Vancouver Police are asking for the public’s help in solving a series o f tree thefts from a local nursery. Burglars have hit the Cascade Greenhouse on 112th A venue at least three times, taking over $ 1,700 worth o f young trees. Police suspect the burglaries may be related to a similar crime pattern in 2 0 0 0 and 2 0 0 1. In those cases, the thieves sold the trees to nurs eries within a few days after the thefts. V a n c o u v e r P o lic e D e te c tiv e C a ro le Boswell is asking that nursery ow ners and the com m unity be aw are o f people attem pting to sell Lace L eaf M aples, Junipers or other exotic landscaping trees. A uthorities ask that residents report suspicious activity to 9 1 1 and take down license plates or other av ail able suspect inform ation. Vancouver Police Boost Public Outreach Department hopes to open up dialogue with community At home with Family. Turning work into play. Connecting on a different level just by changing scenery. Hanging out ‘til dark. Outdoor bliss. Home! Over three generations of homeowners have trusted American Family Insurance for the sound advice and committed service that helps them live life to the fullest. Give us a call or visit www.amfam.com today. Discover the peace of mind of knowing Family's always at home protecting what matters most to you. American Family Insurance. Check your local telephone directory for the agent nearest you. A M ER IC A N FAMILY IN S U R A N C E All your protection under one roof The Vancouver Police Department would 1.1 to invite the public to spend "An Evening wiili the Vancouver Police Department" on Wednesday, June 11 from 6p.m . to8:30p.m . at the Water Resource Education Center located at 4600 S.E. Columbia Way in Vancouver. This public forum will allow members ofthe department command staff to introduce them selves to community members, to discuss sev eral important issues the Police Department is undertaking and to hear from citizens and an- swer their questions. The goal o f this forum is to open up the Vancouver Police Department to the citizens o f Vancouver through dialogue and displays. Sev eral units from the department will have interac tive displays and staff will be on hand to answer questions and receive comments and sugges tions for improving working relationships be tween police and the public they serve. “ I see the expansion o f com m unication with our citizens as a high priority for our agency and believe very strongly in the p ro fession o f law enforcem ent being one o f ser vice to others," V ancouver Police C h ief Brian M artinek said. For more information, contact Sgt. George Delgado at 360-619 -4 188. City Clamps Down on Disabled Vehicles Cars on private property can be tagged for removal The disabled vehicle complaint response program, which was temporarily suspended in December due to budget and staff cutbacks, has been reinstated. N eighborhood inspections will investi gate com plaints o f vehicles stored on p ri vate property for seven days or more that are not in a garage or carport and have visible signs o f inoperability. Visibly disabled ve hicles that m eet these criteria may be tagged for removal. Indications o f a disabled vehicle may include m issing or fiat tires, m issing engine or battery, broken w indow s, body dam age or overgrow th surrounding the v e hicle. Those wishing to file a complaint regarding disabled vehicles at a property may contact the Neighborhood Inspections intake line at 503- 823-7306. Please know the property address, description o f the vehicle, license plate informa tion and description o f any indications that the vehicle is disabled.