REGION
Saturday, June 4, 2022
East Oregonian
A3
Police chase in Pendleton ends with crash into OSP car
Police arrest driver,
seize possible
meth, fentanyl pills
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — A
police chase Friday morning,
June 3, through Pendleton
streets ended when a flee-
ing suspect crashed into an
Oregon State Police car.
Pendleton Chief of Police
Charles Byram also reported
offi cers are looking for two
passengers who got out before
the crash.
The pursuit began after
6:06 a.m., Byram reported in
a press release, when a Pend-
leton patrol offi cer attempted
to stop a gray Subaru Impreza
with Washington license
plates in the area of the 1400
block of Southwest Emigrant
Avenue after recognizing
one of the car’s passengers as
having a felony warrant for
his arrest.
Initially, the driver of the
vehicle pulled over, but as the
offi cer approached, the driver
of the vehicle fl ed the stop at a
high speed.
The patrol officer gave
chase, but lost sight of the
vehicle near Southgate and
Southwest 20th Street.
At about that time, accord-
ing to Byram, an Oregon
State Police trooper observed
the Impreza speeding in the
center lane on Southgate,
traveling south. The trooper
and Pendleton patrol offi cer
pursued the vehicle.
The pursuit continued
through the McKay area, ulti-
mately going back through
town and onto the North
Hill. During this time, the
two passengers fl ed the vehi-
cle while the driver continued
to fl ee police.
The chase came to a halt
on the 10th Street bridge,
Byram reported, when the
Impreza crashed into an
Oregon State Police vehicle.
Pendleton Police Depart-
ment officers at approxi-
mately 6:16 a.m. arrested the
driver, Aaron Cole Mapston,
37, of Pasco address, for
felony fl eeing, reckless driv-
ing and on a Washington
Department of Corrections
felony warrant.
“Offi cers know who the
two passengers are and will
continue to seek them out to
arrest them on their warrants
as well,” according to Byram.
The police chief also
reported Mapston told the
arresting offi cers they were
not supposed to pursue him,
alluding to the state of Wash-
ington legislation prohibiting
New avian fl u outbreak ‘lot more signifi cant’
By CHARLET
HOTCHKISS and
JOHN TILLMAN
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Blue
Mountain Wildlife Executive
Director Lynn Tompkins said
she is optimistic the recent
avian fl u outbreak soon could
come to an end.
The last time Oregon expe-
rienced an avian influenza
epidemic was 2014-15, Tomp-
kins said, and it ran its course
by the end of June.
“This time it’s worse,” she
said. “This is a lot more signif-
icant outbreak.”
The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife on Thurs-
day, June 2, reported many
wildlife rehabilitators are not
accepting waterfowl due to
the spread of avian fl u in wild
birds. Because waterfowl can
carry the virus without show-
ing symptoms, allowing them
into rehabilitation facilities
can put all the birds at the
facility at risk.
“I’m really hoping the
summer heat will help,” she
said.
Tompkins said Blue Moun-
tain Wildlife doesn’t normally
get much waterfowl in this
area, but the Tri-Cities do.
She also stated Blue Mountain
Wildlife no longer is accept-
ing sick birds of any kind, due
to the risk of avian infl uenza.
Tompkins is trying to
change this by adding three
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Samantha Castoldi, left, and Blue Mountain Wildlife Director
Lynn Tompkins on Thursday, June 2, 2022, prepare to put a
band on the leg of a healthy American kestral at the Pend-
leton bird rehabilitation center. Construction displaced the
bird from its nest.
sheds outside their clinic for
intake, evaluation and quar-
antine. That way, they can
see which are sick and get
them tested for avian infl u-
enza without jeopardizing the
health of the other birds being
seen at the clinic.
All birds tested for avian
influenza first have their
preliminary results confi rmed
by a state lab, according to
Tompkins. In Oregon, that
testing is in Corvallis at the
Oregon Veterinary Diagnos-
tic Lab, and in Washington,
it’s in Pullman at the Wash-
ington Animal Disease Diag-
nostic Laboratory. Labs then
send results to the national
center for confirmation,
where they will be added to
the USDA website.
Tompkins has tested only
a few birds for avian infl u-
enza this year in Washing-
ton: two goslings, a Mallard
duckling and a crow. She also
said ODFW recently sent off
a test for a bald eagle that was
found at McCormack Slough
in Morrow County near Irri-
gon. Results are pending for
all of those tests.
Goslings, ducklings and
adult waterfowl all can carry
the virus. If you fi nd healthy
ducklings or goslings without
a parent nearby, leave them
alone and allow the parents to
fi nd them, ODFW requested.
If you choose to interfere, they
can be released at the nearest
waterway. Injured ducks and
LOCAL BRIEFING
Police report
possible gang
violence in M-F
geese may be brought to an
ODFW offi ce for euthanasia.
Call ahead if you are bringing
in an injured duck or goose.
State fi sh and wildlife also
urged the public not to collect
or handle sick or dead wild
birds but report the incident
directly to a local ODFW
office, the Wildlife Health
lab at 866-968-2600 or email
at Wildlife.Health@odfw.
oregon.gov. Fish and wildlife
staff will conduct surveillance
and collecting/testing sick and
dead wild birds to monitor for
the presence of the disease.
This is the time of year
when goslings, ducklings
and other young birds are
commonly picked up and
brought into rehab centers,
according to ODFW. Well-in-
tentioned people mistakenly
think these young birds are
orphaned because they may
be temporarily separated
from their parents.
“This year more than ever,
it is important to leave wild
birds in the wild to give them
the best chance for survival,”
the state fi sh and game depart-
ment urged. “If you see young
ducks or geese, please keep
pets under tight control.
Not feeding waterfowl is
also especially important
during this time. In addition
to commonly causing nutri-
tional issues, feeding congre-
gates animals and results in
overcrowding and increased
risk of disease spread.”
Congratulations
Pilot Rock Graduates!
law enforcement from pursu-
ing vehicles.
Byram noted, “Mapston
was advised that he was not
in the state of Washington.”
Byram also reported
police seized “approxi-
mately ¼ pound of suspected
methamphetamine and 92
suspected fentanyl pills” from
the vehicle, and the Umatilla
County District Attorney’s
Office will handle adding
controlled substance charges.
Byram also reported no
one was injured in the chase.
MILTON-FREEWA-
TER — Milton-Free-
water police reported a
fi ght in a bar Wednesday,
June 1, led to one person
being “presumably stabbed
in the neck area.”
Milton-Freewater police
at approximately 9:25 p.m.
responded to a report of
a fight in progress at the
Let’s Go Inn, 515 N. Main
St. According to informa-
tion from Police Chief Doug
Boedigheimer, three people
were involved in this fi ght,
including the victim.
Johnny Diaz, 31, of
Milton-Freewater, was
stabbed with a “pointed/
edged weapon of an
unidentifi ed type,” accord-
ing to the report.
“Witnesses told offi cers
that two individuals had
entered the bar and imme-
diately began causing a
disturbance with other
patrons prior to the attack
on Diaz,” the police report
stated.
Before police arrived,
someone used a personal
vehicle to take Diaz to Prov-
idence St. Mary Medical
Center in Walla Walla. He
is expected to survive his
injury, according to police.
Also according to the
report, Milton-Freewater
police think this incident is
gang related.
“A person of interest
has been identifi ed and is
wanted for questioning
regarding the incident,”
the report also stated. “The
investigation is ongoing.”
— EO Media Group
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER
Nobody
can smile
your smile, laugh
your laugh, shine your light, be
wonderful in the way that is so uniquely
you! Nobody can give to the world
what you have to give. Have a
wonderful day celebrating you!
We think of you all the time.
Love - Grandpa and Grandma Powell
Community
Memorial
Service
Graduation June 4th • 11:00am
Pilot Rock High School Gym
& BUTTERFLY RELEASE
Jovan Aguilar
Jade Atkins
James Bartlett
To celebrate our loved ones
and how life is transformed.
Mackenzie
Bennett
VA N G E J O H N M E M O R I A L H O S P I C E
Kegan Bronson
Kylar Bronson
Hailey Dick
Anthony
Fitzgerald
Saturday, June 18, 2022
3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Victory Square Park
150 SW 10th Street | Hermiston, OR 97838
Paul William
Hays
Gauge Hill
Emily Jeanette
Lambert
Natalie
Lankford
Entertainment by Brass Fire Band!
Event Details:
Madison
Lunzmann
Chance
McCormack
Madyson
Moffit
John Nelson
n
Bring your family.
Children welcome!
n
Please bring your own
lawn chair(s)
n
Refreshments provided
with additional
refreshments for
purchase
n
Dezarae Dawn
Putnam
Natalia Roach
Wyatt Stillman
Hailey Williams
Look for event table
when you arrive.
Each Attendee will receive
(while supplies last):
n
Origami Butterfly
n
Butterfly-Friendly Flower Seeds
to Plant at Home
n
Butterfly Fact Sheet
For an additional fee, pre-registrants
may receive one live butterfly to release
in honor of their loved one.
Please register at: https://
communitymemorial.eventbrite.com
For more information, call Carollyn Robinson, BSN, RN at 541.667.3540.
Not pictured:
Tyson Ray
Vawser
Vanessa Winks
Want to make a donation to Hospice? Visit www.gshealth.org.