News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
A5
Canyon City man charged with
kidnapping, assault, strangulation
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
A Grant County grand
jury has indicted a 38-year-
old Canyon City man with
12 charges relating to an
abusive relationship with
a woman. Three counts are
for first-degree kidnapping,
which carry sentences up to
20 years in prison.
Benjamin L. Keith is
charged with kidnapping,
assault, strangulation, men-
acing, harassment and point-
ing a pistol at the woman
from Nov. 1, 2017, through
May 1.
According to the May 17
indictment, Keith allegedly
kidnapped the woman with
the intent of terrorizing her
in March and April. He is
charged with three counts
of felony assault constitut-
ing domestic violence taking
place in November 2017 and
in February through April.
Keith is also charged with
two counts of misdemeanor
strangulation constituting
domestic violence taking
place in November and De-
cember 2017 and in April.
He faces two counts of
misdemeanor menacing con-
stituting domestic violence
taking place in November
and December 2017 and in
April, and one count of mis-
demeanor harassment taking
place in April.
The indictment also
charges Keith with pointing
a pistol at the woman in No-
vember or December 2017,
an unclassified misdemeanor.
Keith is being held in the
Grant County Jail. Bail has
been set at $500,000 for each
of the kidnapping charges.
C OPS AND C OURTS
The Eagle/Richard Hanners
Grant County Judge Scott Myers, left, and
Commissioner Jim Hamsher work together on a replat
map during their May 23 meeting. Commissioner
Boyd Britton was absent.
Court will ask legislature
for courthouse roof funding
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
Arrests and citations in the
Blue Mountain Eagle are taken
from the logs of law enforce-
ment agencies. Every effort is
made to report the court dispo-
sition of arrest cases.
Grant County
Circuit Court
Billy W. Wells, 55, Sene-
ca, pleaded guilty April 26 to
felony second-degree burglary
and first-degree theft and two
counts of misdemeanor sec-
ond-degree theft committed at
a hunting camp near Seneca
on Nov. 5, 2017. He was sen-
tenced to 20 months in prison,
one year post-prison supervi-
sion and a $50 fine. He was also
ordered to pay $800 in restitu-
tion to a victim. Three counts of
burglary and two counts of theft
were dismissed.
Samuel E. Valade, 20, Mt.
Vernon, was acquitted June 1
of a charge of driving under the
influence of intoxicants on July
15, 2017.
Grant County
Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff’s
Office reported the following
for the week of May 30:
Concealed handgun licens-
es: 3
Average inmates: 19
Bookings: 7
Releases: 10
Arrests: 0
Citations: 1
Fingerprints: 3
Civil papers: 14
Warrants processed: 6
Asst./welfare check: 0
Search and rescue: 0
May 29: Nola Pierson,
55, John Day, was cited for
third-degree theft.
Oregon State
Police
May 23: Responded to
Grant Union Junior-Senior
High School for a report of
an intoxicated man hiding be-
hind a cargo container. Israel
Sanchez, 55, was arrested and
charged with disorderly con-
duct.
May 23: Following a traffic
stop on Highway 26 west of
Prairie City, Aaron M. Roseber-
ry, 31, John Day, was arrested
and charged with driving while
suspended or revoked and con-
tempt of court. Roseberry was
on probation, and both alcohol
and marijuana were allegedly
found in his vehicle.
Justice Court
Alan W. Wolfe, 30, Can-
yon City, pleaded guilty to
criminal trespass, disorderly
conduct, theft and criminal
mischief committed May 17.
He was sentenced to 55 days
in jail, 90 hours community
service, 18 months of proba-
tion and $1,460 in fines and
fees. A probation violation
charge was dismissed.
Dispatch
John Day dispatch worked
144 calls during the week of
May 27 to June 3, including:
• John Day Police Depart-
ment
May 28: Dispatched to a
grocery store in John Day for a
check fraud report.
May 29: Responded to a
report of a dispute on North
McHaley Avenue in Prairie
City.
May 29: Following a traffic
stop at Third Street and Bridge
Street in John Day, Villa P. Ce-
jay, 22, Challis, Idaho, was cit-
ed for driving uninsured.
May 30: Responded to a
drug store in John Day and cit-
ed an 83-year-old man for sec-
ond-degree theft.
May 30: Dispatched to
Cozart Avenue in Prairie City
with Grant County Sheriff’s
Office and Forest Service.
Thomas Busby, 46, Prairie
City, was arrested on a felony
warrant.
June 1: Received a report of
ATVs traveling at a high rate of
speed on Overholt Avenue in
Prairie City.
June 1: Responded with Or-
egon State Police to West Main
Street in John Day. Mathew P.
Walker, 34, John Day, was ar-
rested on a felony warrant.
• Oregon State Police
May 28: Advised of a non-
injury motor vehicle crash on
Highway 395 near the Magone
Lake Road junction.
May 28: Advised of a possi-
ble theft at a gas station west of
John Day.
May 31: Advised of a cow
on Highway 26 in Wheeler
County.
June 1: With assistance from
Grant County Sheriff’s Office,
cows reported on Highway 26
were rounded up and fenced
back in.
• Grant County Sheriff’s
Office
May 28: Responded to a re-
port of shots fired on Highway
395 south of Canyon City near
Deer Creek.
May 29: Dispatched to For-
est Service Road 098 for a sus-
picious person.
May 30: Responded to Riv-
er Estates Lane in Mt. Vernon
for an assault report.
May 31: Received a rape re-
port in John Day.
June 2: Received a report
of a noninjury motor vehicle
accident on Highway 26 near
Prairie City.
June 2: Received a report
of a man wearing an animal
hat and a woman in a red cape
walking with a baby in Day-
ville.
June 2: Responded to a
restaurant on Highway 26 in
west John Day for a person
who refused to leave.
June 2: Dispatched to South
Canyon Boulevard in John Day
for a report of shots fired.
June 2: Responded to High-
way 19 near Kimberly for a
motor vehicle crash with injury.
June 2: Dispatched to the
Seventh Street Complex in
John Day for a domestic report.
June 3: Advised of possible
illegal hunting on Pine Creek
Road in John Day.
June 3: Advised of a possi-
ble dispute on Highway 26 in
west John Day.
• John Day ambulance
May 27: Responded to
Northwest Third Street in John
Day for a 68-year-old woman.
May 27: Dispatched to East
Main Street in John Day for a
65-year-old man.
May 29: Paged for a senior
home in John Day for a woman
with back, hip and pelvis pain.
May 29: Responded to
South Johnson Avenue in Prai-
rie City for a 74-year-old man
who had fallen.
May 31: Dispatched to West
Main Street in John Day for a
man with a medical alarm.
June 2: Dispatched with
Long Creek fire and ambulance
to South Hewitt Street in Long
Creek for a man who cut his
fingers on a saw.
June 2: Paged to Lower
Yard Road in John Day for a
woman who was bucked off a
horse.
June 3: Responded to West
Main Street in John Day for a
62-year-old woman who had
fallen.
June 3: Dispatched to Traf-
ton Lane in John Day for an
86-year-old woman who had
fallen out of bed.
• U.S. Forest Service
May 28: Received a report
of an unattended camp fire near
Austin Junction.
May 30: The Prairie City
Ranger Station received a re-
port of a missing person.
• John Day fire
May 30: Responded with
Canyon City fire and Oregon
Department of Forestry to a
grass fire on Buckhorn Road in
Canyon City.
• Oregon Department of
Transportation
June 3: Advised of rocks on
Highway 26 west of Mt. Ver-
non.
Prescribed burning planned on Malheur National Forest
Blue Mountain Eagle
Crews from the Blue
Mountain Ranger District on
the northern half of the Mal-
heur National Forest began
approximately 100 acres of
black-lining in the Galena
project area, units 10 and 20,
earlier this week, with antic-
Formerly
Oster
Professional
Group
ipation of completing about
2,000 acres total by aerial ig-
nitions in the later part of the
week.
Burning operations may
have some short-term impacts
on air quality levels to the Aus-
tin/Bates and Galena areas of
Grant County. Fire personnel
will work closely with the Or-
egon Department of Forestry in
accordance with State Smoke
Management Plans to insure
that smoke impacts on the local
communities are minimized.
Smoke may worsen symp-
toms for people who have
pre-existing health conditions
and those who are particularly
sensitive to smoke. Those that
fall into either category should
limit their exposure to the
smoke:
• Limit outdoor activi-
ties, especially in the morning
hours, when smoke has a ten-
dency to settle.
• Drink plenty of water
to help reduce symptoms of
scratchy throat and coughing.
Solutions
Certified Public Accountants, PC
The Grant County Court
has asked the Association of
Oregon Counties to represent
Grant County in the Oregon
Legislature for a funding
request to repair the county
courthouse roof.
Grant County Judge Scott
Myers made the request
during a recent courthouse
facilities meeting with the
AOC. He told the court at
their May 23 meeting that the
courthouse roof is leaking
right above the Grant County
Circuit Court offices.
Myers estimates a new
roof for the courthouse
could cost from $100,000 to
$150,000. If appropriated by
the legislature as requested,
the state would reimburse
the county for $100,000, and
the county would pay the re-
maining cost.
Myers noted that in the
past the legislature provided
about $150,000 for an eleva-
tor in the courthouse, and the
county paid about $70,000.
Maintaining and repairing
existing courthouses is more
cost-effective than building
new ones, he said, noting that
Deschutes County is consid-
ering spending $30 million
on a new courthouse.
Commissioner
Boyd
Britton was absent. In other
county court news:
• Thirteen of the 31
tax-foreclosed
properties
offered at a May 17 auction
had buyers. The minimum
bid was set at 50 percent of
market value. One of the
properties that sold was the
Mt. Vernon Mobile Home
& RV Park located between
Highway 395 and Highlan
Drive.
The county plans to ad-
vertise the rest of the prop-
erties for sale by sealed bid.
Laurie Wright, the court’s
administrative assistant, said
the minimum bid acceptable
under state law is 15 percent
of market value.
• The court agreed to
spend about $2,000 install-
ing frost-free connections at
the Depot RV Park in Prairie
City as a step toward upgrad-
ing the county-owned facili-
ty for use in shoulder seasons
and winter.
Chris Camarena, Prairie
City’s public works director,
explained that an electrical
upgrade at the RV park will
meet the higher load require-
ments of newer RVs. Some
electrical equipment “melts
down” under heavy air con-
ditioning loads in summer,
he said.
• The court agreed to
add $8,000 to the $18,000
cost of a new county web-
site. Wright, a member of
the website committee, said
CivicPlus, the Kansas-based
website developer, wants to
spend three days in Grant
County to personally inter-
view county staff.
The additional money
will cover the company’s
travel and consulting costs.
Wright estimated the project
would take about 28 weeks
to complete.
• The court approved two
livestock contracts for the
Northwest Professional Rodeo
Association (NPRA) rodeo to
be held at the Grant County
Fairgrounds Aug. 10-11.
The Lazy HK Bar con-
tract was for $6,500, and the
B Bar D Rodeo Inc. contract
was for $14,000. Commis-
sioner Jim Hamsher noted
that rodeo livestock con-
tracts in past years have to-
taled $25,000.
The court also approved
a contract with Grant Coun-
ty Youth Livestock Auction
Inc. to sponsor the 4-H/
FFA livestock auction at the
county fair. Hamsher noted
that the Kiwanis Club spon-
sored the auction in the past.
541-620-4255
In celebration of my 80th birthday this month,
all fares within John Day will be .80 all month.
Thank you & God bless you.
Richie Colbeth
Owner/Operator
61007
T HE L AW O FFICE OF D ONALD J. M OLNAR
A General Practice Law Firm
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates
• Divorce and Family Law
• Contracts, Real Estate, Business
• Personal Injury
• Criminal Defense
Same people,
same location,
and same
outstanding
service!
118 S. Washington Street, Canyon City, OR 97820
(541) 620-5127
60998
BISCUITS & GRAVY!
Fuel up for the 62 Days activities at
the Hope 4 Paws Breakfast on June 9
When: 7am-9am
Where: Canyon City Fire Station
Menu:
Biscuits and
gravy, fruit,
juice
and coffee.
By donation – Proceeds benefit the pet
rescue, spay/neuter assistance, and other
programs of Hope 4 Paws: Grant County.
101 NE 1st Avenue in John Day
541-575-2717
Hope 4 Paws is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit
dedicated to improving the lives of
pets in Grant County.
61550
61708