News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Sagaser is granted new lawyer CASA
in several locations within
the county.
In the original indict-
ment, Sagaser is alleged to
have kidnapped the woman
by secretly conining her in
a place where she was not
likely to be found. He report-
edly committed coercion by
threatening the woman to not
leave an area, not tell hos-
pital staff about the nature
of her injuries and not tell a
third-party about the cause of
her injuries.
The woman was injured
by Sagaser allegedly stran-
gling her, striking her head
against concrete, head-butt-
ing, kicking and elbowing
her and shooting at her with
a CO2 “airsoft” gun from
within ive feet, according to
the indictment.
Status hearing is scheduled for Dec. 23
Blue Mountain Eagle
CANYON CITY – A Mt.
Vernon man who previously
pleaded guilty to six domes-
tic violence- and drug-re-
lated charges was allowed a
new court-appointed defense
attorney to help represent
him in court.
Matthew Eric Sagaser, 31,
is also requesting permission
to negate the guilty pleas.
Sagaser, court-appointed
attorney Robert Raschio, and
Grant County Judge William
D. Cramer, Jr. met at the
county’s circuit courtroom
Monday, where Cramer
granted Sagaser permission
to replace Raschio.
Grant Coun-
ty Deputy Dis-
trict Attorney
Matt Ipson is
prosecuting the
case.
Sagaser,
Matthew
who
is being
Eric
held
at the
Sagaser
Grant County
Jail, will be represented by
court-appointed attorney Ted
Martin of Nyssa.
A status hearing is set for
Dec. 23 where Judge Cramer
will consider Sagaser’s re-
quest to drop the guilty pleas.
Sagaser previously plead-
ed guilty on Nov. 5 to:
• One count of coercion.
• Three counts of
fourth-degree assault.
• One count of strangulation.
• One count of possession
of methamphetamine.
Sagaser, who was arrested
in early October, was initial-
ly indicted on 29 counts of
domestic violence, includ-
ing second-degree kidnap-
ping, ive counts of coercion,
nine counts of fourth-degree
assault, strangulation, four
counts of menacing and nine
counts of recklessly endan-
gering another person.
The Grant County Sher-
iff’s Ofice and John Day Po-
lice Department investigated
the case.
The alleged abuse of the
victim, a woman, took place
County court gets a new secretary
CANYON CITY — Laurie Wright
has known Grant County Commissioner
Chris Labhart since she was a student at
Grant Union Junior-Senior High School.
She took his U.S. history and eco-
nomics classes.
Now Wright is again taking notes
from Labhart — and County Judge
Scott Myers and Commissioner Boyd
Britton.
She is the county court’s new secre-
tary, taking over for Mary Ferrioli, who
retired after 18 years.
“It’s actually been really nice,” she
said as she prepared for the Nov. 18
court meeting. “I enjoy all of the people
I work with.”
Wright was a paralegal and secretary
for John Day lawyer Dan Cronin for
seven years. Before that, she worked
for the prosecuting attorney in Valley
County, Idaho, she said.
She lives near John Day with her
daughter, Makenna Adair, who is a ju-
nior at Grant Union Junior-Senior High
School. Her other daughter, Kyra Adair,
lives in Boise.
Her irst day at the courthouse was
Oct. 26.
abused and neglected chil-
dren, to make sure they don’t
get lost in the legal and social
service system, and stay with
each case until the child is
placed in a safe, permanent
home.
“With the help of a CASA,
children get through the trau-
ma of the foster care system
safely, quickly and effective-
ly,” Blood said.
She shared these points:
• Children in the court
system can move from foster
home to foster home an aver-
age of 6.6 times, but with the
help of a CASA, experience
less trauma by reducing that
number to an average of 3.9
moves.
• A child is twice as like-
ly to receive the counseling
needed to treat serious issues
due to abuse and neglect with
a CASA advocating on their
behalf.
• Children spend an aver-
age of 23 months in the foster
care system. With a CASA
advocate overseeing the pro-
cess, the time can be reduced
to an average of 15 months.
• Oregon tax payers spent
$26,000 per child per year
in foster care. With the help
of a CASA, the child moves
quickly through the system
reducing the tax payers’ cost
to $17,333 a year.
• Cases with a CASA are
more likely to be permanently
closed by inding a safe and
permanent home so children
do not re-enter the system.
Blood said the CASA vol-
unteers are eager to make a
positive difference in the lives
of local children in foster care.
“I feel incredibly grateful
for the opportunity to work
with these dedicated volun-
teers in supporting young
people in our community,”
Blood said. “As I’ve become
acquainted with these indi-
viduals ... I’ve come to real-
ize just how exceptional the
advocates and volunteers of
Grant County truly are.”
For more information, call
Grant County CASA at 541-
575-5574.
B REAKING N EWS A LERTS
myeaglenews.com/breakingnews
Pro Saw
Shop and
a Whole
Lot More
Carl Sampson/The Eagle
Laurie Wright is the new Grant
County Court secretary. She
took over the job Oct. 26.
02131
By Carl Sampson
Blue Mountain Eagle
Continued from Page A1
A5
C OPS & C OURTS
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
effort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
125 calls during the week
of Nov. 23-29. Along with
the various trafic warnings,
trespassing, injured animals,
noise complaints and juvenile
complaints, these calls includ-
ed:
• John Day Police:
Nov. 25: Arrested a John
Day man for assault.
• Grant County Sheriff:
Nov. 24: Responded to a
report of a person lost in the
Smith Creek area; report of
vehicle racing on Ingle Street;
report of a rollover accident
near the Grant-Harney county
line.
Nov. 28: An Albany man
was arrested in Linn Coun-
ty on Linn and Grant county
warrants.
• U.S. Forest Service:
Nov. 28: Report of people
trespassing and cutting gates
in the 12-180 Forest Road
area.
• John Day ambulance:
Nov. 23: Paged for an
83-year-old man in Prairie
City.
Nov. 25: Responded for a
76-year-old man; responded
to a vehicle accident east of
Mt. Vernon.
Nov. 26: Responded for a
40-year-old man with possi-
ble asthma attack; responded
for an unresponsive 24-year-
old man.
• John Day Fire Depart-
ment:
Nov. 26: Responded for a
structure ire in Riverside Mo-
bile Home Park.
Justice Court
CANYON CITY – The
Grant County Justice Court
reported the following ines
and judgments:
• Use of cellphone while
driving: Robert James Bry-
ant Jr., 18, Prairie City, ined
$135.
• Driving while suspend-
ed-violation: Deanna Lynette
Grifin, 44, Hines, ined $435.
• Failure to change name/
address on license or permit:
Deanna Lynette Grifin, 44,
Hines, ined $110.
• Driving uninsured: Dean-
na Lynette Grifin, 44, Hines,
ined $260.
• Exceeding maximum
weight limit: Roger L.
McKinley, 75, Prairie City,
ined $75.
• Hunting in a prohibited
area outside of unit boundar-
ies: Wade F. Keith, 23, Prairie
City, ined $110.
• Violation of the basic
rule: Stephen Casey O’Con-
nor, 53, Tigard, 79/55 zone,
ined $260.
All Day
Saturday,
December 5
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245 South Canyon Blvd.
John Day, OR 97845
OPEN WED. & THUR.
9 am - 5 pm
541-575-1113
24 hrs/7 days wk
debbie.ausmus@
countryfinancial.com
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03049
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03020
THE GRANT COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
invites you to shop at home and support our local merchants.
Create Jobs
Shop Local
Better Education
Local Businesses
Stronger Local Economy
Grant County Greenbacks keep 100% of your money at home. Purchase them at the Grant County
Chamber of Commerce. They come in denominations of $5, $15 and $25 and may be redeemed at
all Grant County businesses who are Chamber members.
Thanks to LCAC, BMH, Len’s Drug and Subway and for your recent purchase!
You are helping Grant County businesses by empowering your clients and employees to Shop Local!
Grant County Chamber of Commerce
301 W. Main St. • John Day, OR 97845
541.575.0547
www.gcoregonlive.com
03045