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REGION Wednesday, June 24, 2015 East Oregonian Page 3A Hermiston man dies in head-on crash Speedy trial possibility By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian A 25-year-old Hermiston man died Monday in Gilliam County when he smashed head-on into a semitrailer. Oregon State Police reported investigators do not know why Tyler D. Brown drove a 1999 Jeep Cherokee hauling a utility trailer the wrong way on Interstate 84 and the case remains under investigation. Some people who claimed to know Brown commented on Facebook about the man. One described him as a “wonderful young man,” another, as a “nice guy,” and another posted Brown was “a great man who leaves behind an infant daughter...” State police troopers and emergency personnel responded to reports of a head-on crash Monday at about 11:15 p.m. on I-84 QHDUPLOHSRVWDERXW¿YH miles east of Rufus. State police spokesman Lt. Bill Fugate said in the moments before the crash several callers reported the Jeep going east in the westbound lanes. State police were responding to those calls when the Jeep crashed directly into a 1999 Peterbilt semitrailer. Fugate said it appears Brown died in that impact. The vehicles stopped in the travel lanes and caught ¿UH 6WDWH SROLFH UHSRUWHG the driver of the Peterbilt, Michael McCright, 61, of Redmond, escaped unin- MXUHG DV ¿UH IXOO\ HQJXOIHG both vehicles. The semi was hauling a load of fresh salmon, )XJDWH VDLG DQG ¿UH FUHZV spent hours before fully extinguishing the blaze. State police and the Oregon Department of Transporta- tion shut down I-84 in both directions for almost four hours until opening one lane in each direction. State police reported crews still on scene cleaning the highway. Brown in March 2011 crashed a gold 1994 Honda at the intersection of West Orchard Avenue and South- west 23rd Street, Hermiston. A Umatilla County sheriff’s deputy responded and found the crash totaled the car. The deputy cited Brown for GULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQÀXHQFHRI intoxicants, reckless driving, driving while suspended and possession of a controlled substance. Umatilla County Circuit Court records show Brown completed a diver- sion program and the state dismissed the charges. Fugate said an autopsy and toxicology tests are in the works for the body, and those could reveal more information. HERMISTON Stop and smell the lavender By TAMMY MALGESINI East Oregonian Nearly a decade ago, Jim and Sheri Konningrud transformed part of their pasture land near their Victorian-style home into a sea of lavender. Since then, the Herm- iston couple found a way to share their soothing oasis with others — both as a venue for a fragrant festival and as a fundraiser for Martha’s House, a homeless family shelter operated by Agape House. The Purple Ridge Lavender Festival has grown each year since it began in 2009, providing additional support to people in need. The Konningruds were familiar with Agape House and its mission through their other business, Pea Ridge Embroidery & Signs. They felt the chari- table organization would be DSHUIHFW¿W “It’s a great cause,” said Sheri Konningrud. “(The festival is) something we really like to do for the community.” Purple Ridge Lavender Festival is Saturday form Contributed photo The sixth annual Purple Ridge Lavender Festival ben- efits Martha’s House, a family homeless shelter oper- ated by Agape House. Purple Ridge Lavender Festival Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 29081 Bridge Road, Hermiston Food, quilt expo, photos, vendors, art show, wine/beer tasting, lavender crafting 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., wine/beer tasting 2:30- 5:30 p.m.: Sno Road Winery tasting 5-6 p.m., Happy Hour lavender plant sales Live music 10 a.m., BBPD Power Duo; 11 a.m., Cruise Control 2 p.m., Nancy & Bill; 4 p.m., Rock Blythe & Two Faced Johnny 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 29081 Bridge Road, located west of Hermiston. General admission is $10 or $12 for wine and beer tasting admission. All of the vendor fees and gate admissions EHQH¿W0DUWKD¶V+RXVHDQG Agape House. The Martha’s House shelter opened in 2013 and has capacity for eight to 10 families. Dave Hughes, Agape House executive director, said families can stay for three to six months to get back on their feet. About 75 families have used the shelter. Hughes is pleased with the partnership with the Konningruds and the lavender festival. ³'RQDWLRQVWRQRQSUR¿WV are declining and we encourage people to come enjoy the festival and ensure we can continue to serve the community through this program,” Hughes said. The event allows people to pick lavender, buy lavender products and try lavender-infused food and beverages, while enjoying live music, an art show, a quilt expo and more. People can taste lavender beer from Hermiston Brewing Company and wine from Sno Road Winery. ——— Sean Hart of EO Media Group contributed to this story Hermiston may use Newport as stormwater collector in May, to nearby property owners whose homes were GDPDJHG E\ ÀRRGLQJ DIWHU A proposed redesign of a nearby city pump system Newport Park in Hermiston was overwhelmed by heavy would be good for the neigh- rains. The area has experienced bors but bad for softball VLJQL¿FDQW ÀRRGLQJ RQ D teams that practice there. City staff are proposing more frequent basis lately, to lower the grade of the he said, and there was a VRIWEDOO ¿HOG DW WKH SDUN E\ concern that eventually the about 18 inches and remove city would be forced to buy some improvements, out the properties. “The problem is we’re including the fence, in order to divert excess stormwater not compensating those LQWR WKH ¿HOG LQVWHDG RI property owners for using their property for storm neighboring yards. “The current system as drainage,” Morgan said. The plan to divert water designed gets overwhelmed and neighboring properties WR WKH ¿HOG DW 1HZSRUW become de facto storm Park would help with the swales,” assistant city ÀRRGLQJEXWWKHFKDQJHVWR manager Mark Morgan told WKHSDUNDQGWKHÀRRGLQJLW would experience during city councilors Monday. He said the city has paid rainstorms would make it RXW ¿YH LQVXUDQFH FODLPV less accommodating to the since 2012, including two softball and baseball teams By JADE MCDOWELL East Oregonian that practice there. Greg Jones of Herm- iston Little League said he schedules six softball teams and one baseball team for regular practice at Newport Park. The high school’s varsity softball team has batting practice there sometimes, he said, and he sees adult teams grab the ¿HOGIRUVRPHH[WUDSUDFWLFH when it’s available. “Backstops are rare in town,” he said. Morgan said the backstop would remain in place. Rich Devin, Hermiston Little League president, said the program is “busting at the seams” and growing. He said when he takes teams to tournaments in other towns he thinks of how much revenue Hermiston could bring to the community by DGGLQJHQRXJK¿HOGVWRKROG tournaments locally. City councilman Manuel Gutierrez said the city has a responsibility to the residents whose homes are EHLQJÀRRGHGEXWLWDOVRKDV a responsibility to the youth of the city to provide recre- ational opportunities. Other councilors agreed, saying that if the city was going WRPDNHWKHSOD\LQJ¿HOGDW Newport Park less condu- cive to softball practices it needed to come up with more playing space, whether WKURXJKEXLOGLQJQHZ¿HOGV or expanding partnerships with the school district. With the support of the city council, Morgan said city staff would move ahead with designing a plan for Newport Park, with construction expected in the fall at a cost of about $40,000. for man accused of killing infant daughter By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian An Irrigon man facing charges for killing his 10-month-old daughter remains on track for a speedy trial. Travis Michael Martin, 21, has yet to waive his right to a trial within 60 days. Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson said the speedy-trial clock starts ticking at the time of arrest. Martin “The idea being that is when their personal liberties are taken away,” Nelson explained. Martin had a pre-trial hearing Thursday, and his attorney, Robert Klahn of Pendleton, discussed waiving his client’s right to a speedy trial as well as requesting a release hearing, but as of Tuesday afternoon he had not ¿OHGWKHPRWLRQV The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitu- tion guarantees the right to a speedy trail, and Article I, Section 10, of the Oregon Constitution states a defen- dant has the right to a trial “without delay.” Making that happen, though, can take some court docket juggling. Roy Blaine coordinates trials for Oregon’s Sixth Judicial District, which encompasses the circuit courts of Umatilla and Morrow counties. He said it FRPHVGRZQWR¿QGLQJZKLFK RI WKH GLVWULFW¶V ¿YH FLUFXLW MXGJHVFDQ¿WD¿YHGD\WULDO into their schedule. ³ DOO ¿YH RI WKH MXGJHV have long-standing schedules, and we have 60-day trials going in Umatilla County as well as Morrow County,” Blaine said. “The biggest challenge is determining which case holds precedence and which does not.” Speedy trials have a high priority in Oregon, he said, but juvenile trials have even greater precedence, so it takes some combing through WR ¿QG D MXGJH ZLWKRXW mandatory cases that could FRQÀLFWZLWKDQHZWULDO 'LVTXDOL¿FDWLRQV RI MXGJHV FRPSRXQG WKH GLI¿- culty. Oregon Revised Statute VSHFL¿HV MXGJHV FDQ not preside over cases involving their relatives, for example, or former law partners or clients, nor if they have other personal FRQÀLFWV 7KH ODZ also allows defen- dants to disqualify two judges per proceeding for “no VSHFL¿F JURXQGV´ Beyond that, defendants have to make a case for disqualifying a judge. “We’ve had cases where DOO ¿YH RI WKH 8PDWLOOD County judges could not hear a matter,” Blaine said. Blaine said in those circumstances WKH³IRONVLQ6DOHP´KHOS¿QG a visiting judge to handle the case. Martin pleaded not guilty WR WKUHH FRXQWV RI ¿UVWGH- gree criminal mistreatment, three counts of third-degree assault and two counts each RI VHFRQG DQG ¿UVWGHJUHH manslaughter. The state accused Martin of slamming his daughter, Savannah, to WKH ÀRRU WKH QLJKW RI 0D\ 27. The girl died the next day after an air ambulance rushed her to a Spokane children’s hospital. Martin has been in the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, since his arrest on May 29. 1HOVRQ VDLG KLV RI¿FH is preparing for trial, but he suspected Klahn would ¿OH WKH ZDLYHU ZKLFK LV D common action for defense attorneys. Pushing off a trial allows them more time WR KDYH LQYHVWLJDWRUV ¿QG witnesses and evidence while also looking for weaknesses in the state’s case. The court has not set dates for Martin’s trial, and it could be that judges are reluctant to commit to dates that will soon leave the docket. Until then, Martin’s next hearing is July 9. Suicide at Deadman Pass under investigation by OSP PENDLETON — An Idaho truck driver apparently killed himself last week near Pendleton. Oregon State Police reported the state PHGLFDO H[DPLQHU¶V RI¿FH LV continuing the investigation into the death of Guy S. Kravitz, 51, of Twin Falls. State police in a written statement reported its dispatch center in Central Point received information Friday at 9:48 a.m. that a commercial semi was VWRSSHGIRUDERXW¿YHKRXUV at the eastbound Deadman Pass rest area, exit 228 on Interstate 84. Another driver checked the semi, according to state police, and found a suicide note and called police. Troopers from Pendleton responded to the rest area and talked to a person who was geocaching in the area and found the man’s body in a wooded area approximately 100 yards from his vehicle. “Evidence at the scene and evidence discovered during the death investigation were consistent with suicide as the cause of death,” according to state police. The toll free line for Oregon Partnership Lifeline/ National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. 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