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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2019)
REGION Saturday, August 3, 2019 Hermiston ambassadors bring watermelons to Portland East Oregonian Man sentenced to more than 23 years in prison for manslaughter At tor ney Jim Nagle. “Accord- ing to Ore- gon DOC’s (Depar t- ment of Sregzinski Correc- tions) site, his earliest release date from Oregon is currently April 29, 2026,” Nagle wrote in an email. “After that, he will then be transferred to the custody of the Washington Department of Corrections to start serving his sentence for this (Walla Walla) case.” Sregzenski was charged in 2017 with first-degree murder and unlawful fire- arm possession in connec- tion with Gabriel L. Rodri- guez’s death. In March, prosecutors amended the charges to first-degree attempted robbery while armed with a firearm, first-degree assault while armed with a firearm, reck- less endangerment, two counts of intimidating a witness while armed with a firearm, second-degree murder while armed with a firearm, and unauthorized removal or concealment of a body. Walla Walla police said Sregzenski shot and killed Rodriguez, 34, in a Walla Walla apartment over a drug debt. On April 21, 2016, Sreg- zinski went to a basement apartment at 1589 E. Alder St. armed with a shotgun and handgun, police said. He told one of two people at the apartment to call Rodri- guez to the residence while he hid in the apartment. After Rodriguez arrived and took a shower, Sregz- inski confronted him and told him to sit. Rodriguez refused, according to docu- ments, and Sregzinski shot him at close range with the shotgun. Sregzinski and the wit- nesses went to Trailer Haven on Isaacs Avenue, where Sregzinski spoke to The lesser charges in connection with a 2016 killing were agreed to in May By EMILY THORNTON Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Photo contributed by the city of Hermiston Ambassadors from Hermiston handed out 5,000 pounds of watermelons Friday to Portland- ers at Pioneer Courthouse Square as part of the annual Watermelon Giveaway. After opening remarks by Hermiston Mayor David Drotzmann, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz, it took just 16 minutes for representatives from the city and chamber of commerce to distribute eight crates full of watermelons. Rep. Greg Smith, who represents Hermiston in the state legislature, won the watermelon seed-spitting contest with a distance of 29 feet, 8 inches, beating contestants from both cities. HPD prepares for coming change The department is getting new vehicles and smartphones By JESSICA POLLARD East Oregonian HERMISTON — The parking lot outside the Hermiston Police Depart- ment is getting full, but that will be less of a worry for the department this fall. The department plans on leasing nine Ford SUVs, and modifying another eight existing patrol cars to become take-home vehicles for patrol officers. There are currently 17 officers who are assigned to patrol, out of the 27 sworn officers who are part of the department. Police Chief Jason Edmiston said the move came about when he noticed other city departments in Hermiston switching over to take-home vehicles. He said he anticipates that the take-home vehicles will each have fewer miles on them. He also said that the vehicles will increase police presence, as more than 60% of the department lives in city limits and will be driving them around. It’s a way, as Edmiston said, to “work smarter and do more with less” as the population in Hermiston continues to grow and per- sonnel time remains a high expense for the department. The cost of leasing the vehicles is slightly lower than the annual cost of purchasing new patrol cars, although the costs to upgrading each one rep- resents a small budget increase for the year. Edmiston said the move would circumnavi- gate a possible parking lot expansion. “It’s kind of a trifecta of different things. One of them is a need for a larger parking lot. There’s a lot of people that may have court, and sharing with munici- pal court gets crowded,” he said. The records manage- ment system has also been upgraded to accommodate smartphones, discontinu- ing reliance on computers in patrol vehicles. In place of digital cameras and com- puters, the officers were issued cellphones. The phones will reduce the amount of time an officer spends at the sta- tion preparing photos for incidents. The move has report- edly caused a buzz on social media about distracted driv- ing, according to Edmiston. “I would argue that our officers are distracted right now with all the equipment in our vehicles,” he said. “For the most part, I don’t see any changes in regard to how the officers are.” A3 WALLA WALLA — A College Place man was sentenced Wednesday in Walla Walla County Supe- rior Court to more than 23 years in prison for first-de- gree manslaughter and sec- ond-degree assault in a 2016 homicide. In a plea bargain with prosecutors, Robert G. Sreg- zinski, 22, pleaded guilty to the amended charges on May 20, and Judge John Lohrmann dismissed the remaining seven counts against him. His sentencing was delayed several times for various reasons. Sregzinski’s sentence included 280 months in prison for the manslaughter charge and 84 months for the assault, which will run concurrently but consecu- tively to a sentence he has also received in Umatilla County. His credit for time served will be determined by the Department of Cor- rections in both states. He also must serve 54 months in community custody, pay $500 in fines and fees and a to-be-determined res- titution, complete inpa- tient or outpatient alcohol/ drug treatment at his own expense, and have no con- tact with the victims for life. On Aug. 22, 2016, Sreg- zinksi was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Uma- tilla County for attempted murder with a firearm, three counts of menacing, and three counts of unlaw- ful firearm use against another, according to an online records search. Those crimes occurred after the Walla Walla kill- ing, according to Walla Walla County Prosecuting someone in a trailer, and to an apartment in Mil- ton-Freewater, where Sreg- zinski and a witness spoke to another person on the phone. They left sometime the next morning, according to documents. On the way back to the crime scene, they picked up the person they had spoken with on the phone on Old Milton High- way, near Crockett Road. The two original witnesses were dropped off at a wom- an’s home, records stated. Sregzinski then cut the carpet and carpet pad- ding where Rodriguez was lying, rolled him up in it, and tied it with duct tape, rope and electrical cords. He and one of the wit- nesses put the body in the back seat of his vehicle, records stated. Sregzinski drove to a family member’s home in Milton-Freewater, and the family member helped dis- pose of the body on Cache Hollow Road, southeast of Milton-Freewater. On April 28, 2016, Sregzinski shot at Mil- ton-Freewater police offi- cers during a traffic stop and pursuit, and was struck when officers fired, records stated. He was taken to Providence St. Mary Medical Center and arrested on a juvenile war- rant and taken to Walla Walla County Jail. At Walla Walla County Jail, he bragged to a fel- low inmate about the kill- ing, records stated, and included details about the crime. On May 27, 2016, detec- tives located Rodriguez’s body and he was identified the next day based on his tattoos. Sregzinski had five fel- ony convictions from 2014 and another from 2015, so was not allowed to possess a firearm, records stated. He has been at the Walla Walla County Jail pending the outcome of the case. BRIEFLY Historical Society replaces thrift shop roof PENDLETON — The Umatilla County Historical Society recently replaced the roof on its Commu- nity Thrift Shop building thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Pendleton Foun- dation Trust. The grant was written by Eastern Oregon Busi- ness Source Community Development Coordina- tor Karen Willis and was matched in a donation from Mike and Jill Thorne. Tom and Patti Winn also con- tributed a donation to the project. The Community Thrift Shop moved to its 138 SE Court Ave. downtown loca- tion in 2015 and has since undergone rebranding efforts to be labeled as a boutique shop with resale prices. “Our community thrift shop generates a significant portion of the Historical Society’s annual revenue and helps to insure Uma- tilla County history is told and retold,” board presi- dent Tom Winn said in the release. The grant came from the Pendleton Founda- tion Trust, which is a non- profit founded in 1928 that’s focused on assisting, encouraging and promot- ing the general well-being of Pendleton residents. A plaque honoring the Trust’s previous contribu- tions to the shop already hung outside the building and will now be replaced to recognize both donations. Pendleton’s Royal Crown Roofing worked on the project and also replaced a skylight for free after it was found to be in need of repair during the project. Advisory Committee. Upcoming vacancies include representatives for biking, off-highway vehi- cles and accessibility. The 10-member com- mittee typically meets once or twice per year to eval- uate grant proposals for statewide trail projects. Members serve three-year terms and successful can- didates will begin their terms Jan. 1. Members are eligible to serve a second term. Ideal candidates can live anywhere in Oregon and will have experience in at least one of the follow- ing areas — land manage- ment, recreation planning, trail planning, project man- agement, grant manage- 8/2-4 8/5 Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie Cineplex Show Times $5 Classic Movie Showing Wednesday Showing Wednesday Minions at 10 and Airplane at 12 Minions at 10 and Airplane at 12 Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (PG13) 12:40p* 3:40p* 6:40p 9:40p Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (PG13) 3:40p* 6:40p 9:40p Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (R) 11:50a* 3:10p* 6:30p 9:50p Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (R) 3:10p* 6:30p 9:50p The Lion King (PG) 1:20p* 4:10p 6:50p 9:30p Spider-Man: Far from Home (PG13) 1:30p* 4:20p 7:10p 10:00p Toy Story 4 (G) 12:00p* 2:20p* 4:40p 7:00p 9:20p The Lion King (PG) 4:10p 6:50p 9:30p Spider-Man: Far from Home (PG13) 4:20p 7:10p 10:00p Toy Story 4 (G) 4:40p 7:00p 9:20p * Matinee Pricing * Matinee Pricing wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 wildhorseresort.com • 541-966-1850 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 Pendleton, OR I-84 - Exit 216 “ Treasure Chest of Morrow County's Best" Statewide committee seeks volunteers SALEM — The Ore- gon Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers for three posi- tions on its Recreation Trails Program Grants ment or recreation-related volunteerism. Those interested in serving must submit an OPRD grant advisory com- mittee appointment inter- est form by Oct. 15. The form is available online at www.oregon.gov/ oprd /GR A N TS/ Pages/ RTP-Committee.aspx. RTP grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Fed- eral Highway Administra- tion and administered by OPRD. Grants are awarded to nonprofits and govern- ments for motorized and non-motorized trail proj- ects, including building new trails, improving exist- ing trails and developing or improving trail facilities. August 14-17, 2019 Fair Admission: FREE Rodeo Admission: 13 & up $10 7-12 yrs. $6 6 & under FREE FAIR: www.co.morrow.or.us/fair Wednesday, Aug. 14 th Thursday, Aug. 15 th Bounce Houses~Arcades 4-H/FFA Conformation Judging Ventriloquist Vikki Green 4-H Food Contest FREE Tillamook Ice Cream Perry Gerber Band Ventriloquist Vikki Green FFA Floral Design 4-H Food Contest Grand Champion Market Small Animal Showmanship Drive Talent Show Murray’s Wine Tasting 4-H/FFA Livestock Judging Featuring: Brady Goss 4-H Fashion Revue RDO Tractor Pull Trevor Tagle Dinner by Paradise Rose Chuckwagon Bounce Houses~Arcades THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS! Friday, Aug. 16th OMSI~Bounce Houses~Arcades 4-H/FFA Showmanship Ventriloquist Vikki Green Frappes & Flowers w/ Murray's Country Rose Perry Gerber Band Chili Cook-Off Contest Dunk Tank - County commissioners~administration~employees Master Showmanship OTPR/Ranch Rodeo Music after rodeo by: Dan Burns 3D productions Saturday, Aug. 17 t h OMSI~ Bounce Houses~Arcades Parade Ventriloquist Vikki Green FFA Awards Buyers Luncheon Livestock Auction OTPR/Ranch Rodeo Music after rodeo by: Dan Burns 3D productions www.facebook.com/oregontrailprorodeo www.facebook.com/morrowcountyfairheppneroregon
