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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, February 5, 2020 A5 Three cops ‘irresponsible’ in face of colleague’s life-threatening injuries A fourth officer was hospitalized for a week for what doctors said were injuries from being body slammed By Jake Thomas Oregon Capital Bureau Three law enforcement offi- cers, including Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson’s son and one of his deputies, “risked another’s life to save themselves” in an incident at the state’s train- ing academy last October that could have killed another recruit, according to a review by the Marion County District Attor- ney’s Office. The review, released Friday afternoon, presents a damning picture of an October incident that left one recruit with a seri- ous head injury and spinal frac- ture while the group was prac- ticing defensive techniques in an academy dorm room. While criminal charges won’t be brought, the review said the three recruits’ “lack of candor” during the investigation “should cause serious concerns about their credibility” and is “antithet- ical to what real police officers do: protect others.” “Their ‘circle the wagons’ version of what took place that night is not credible,” said the report by Matt Kemmy, Marion County deputy district attorney. “Whether their story was cre- ated by some misguided belief that they needed to cover for one another or whether it was done for self-preservation, it is dis- turbing either way.” Deschutes County Sher- iff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Wil- liam Bailey confirmed Saturday one of the officers involved in the incident, Austin Daugherty, is Nelson’s son. The Deschutes County deputy involved is Joseph DeLance, who was cer- tified as a corrections offi- cer in 2018, according to state records. The sheriff’s office announced Friday evening that DeLance was placed on admin- istrative leave while the agency investigates. The incident occurred on Oct. 17 when Dustyn Matlock, a recruit with the Portland Police Bureau, DeLance, along with Daugherty and Dylan Hansen, both recruits with Oregon State Police, went to DeLance’s room and practiced defensive tactics after a police academy training. Matlock sustained a life-threat- ening injury after allegedly being slammed to the floor, according to the report. A doctor told investigators that, if Matlock had gone to sleep that night as his colleagues were trying to convince him to do, he might have died due to brain swelling. Oregon State Police said Daugherty and Hansen are both on administrative leave while the agency investigates. Bend Bulletin reporter Gar- rett Andrews contributed to this report. COPS AND COURTS 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. Grant County Circuit Court Delayne K. Dice of Can- yon City pleaded guilty Jan. 14 to driving under the influ- ence of intoxicants Nov. 24 and entered a diversion agreement. A charge of driv- ing while license suspended or revoked was dismissed Jan. 24 as part of the plea negotiations. Patricia C. Sharp of Mt. Vernon pleaded guilty Jan. 23 to driving under the influ- ence of intoxicants on Nov. 19 and entered a diversion agreement. Charges of oper- ating without required light- ing equipment and violating license restrictions were dis- missed Jan. 26 as part of the plea negotiations. Joseph D. Tirico, 56, was convicted based on a guilty plea on Dec. 6 for a count of assault in the second degree committed on June 4. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of super- vised probation. He was also ordered to pay $3,898.56 in restitution and attorney fees. Christopher R. Hoppe, 36, was convicted based on a guilty plea on Jan. 8 for a count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, a count of unlaw- ful entry into a motor vehicle and a count of criminal tres- pass in the first degree, all committed on May 27. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail, 54 months of supervised probation and 150 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $1,000 in compensatory fines. Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office reported the fol- lowing for the week of Jan. 29: Concealed handgun licenses: 10 Average inmates: 16 Bookings: 9 Releases: 6 Arrests: 0 Citations: 2 Fingerprints: 2 Civil papers: 19 Warrants processed: 5 A s s i s t a n c e / We l f a r e check: 1 Search and Rescue: 0 Jan. 28: Destiny Nolan, 18, Prairie City, was cited for violation of posted speed limit, 40/25 zone, and driv- ing uninsured. Jan. 28: A juvenile, 17, John Day, was cited for tele- phonic harassment. Justice Court Violation of the basic rule: Woodrow W. Pittman II, 31, Pendleton, March 28, 77/55 zone, fined $265; Summer L. Miller, 20, Can- yon City, Jan. 19, fined $265; Paula S. Hammack, 57, Hines, Jan. 3, 77/55 zone, fined $265. Violation of speed limit: Ricky C. Evans, 56, Gray, Kentucky, Nov. 2, 40/25 zone, fined $165; James He, 53, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oct. 26, 65/35 zone, fined $265; Kara D. Nelson, 47, Burns, Jan. 8, 78/65 zone, fined $265; Eric S. Lui, 49, Bend, Dec. 28, 50/25 zone, fined $265; Anna C. Stargel, 31, Prairie City, Jan. 11, 75/65 zone, fined $165. Driving uninsured: Jef- fery C. Cook, 23, John Day, Dec. 1, fined $265, Jan. 2, fined $265, Dec. 1, fined $265, Dec. 14, fined $265, Dec. 28, fined $265, Jan. 2, fined $265, Dec. 14, fined $265, Dec. 2, fined $265, Jan. 11, fined $265, Nov. 1, fined $265, Nov. 17, fined $265, Jan. 1, fined $265. Operating without required light: Jeffery C. Cook, 23, John Day, Jan. 2, fined $165. Failure to obey traffic control device: Valerie Fans- ler, 39, Canyon City, Dec. 3, fined $500. Travis J. Freniere was sentenced to 72 hours in jail, 12 months of probation, and ordered to pay $200 in fines after pleading guilty on Dec. 11 for theft in the third degree. On Jan. 27, the court granted a judgment for Rob- ert Phillips against Thomas and Brittany Zirkel, Prairie City, for $1,142. On Jan. 27, the court granted a judgment for Ray Klein Inc., Professional Credit Service, against Delayne K. Dice, Prairie City, for $2,217.32. Oregon State Police Jan. 19: Stopped a gray Pontiac Grand-Am for fail- ing to use lights near mile- post 140 on Highway 26. On contact, the driver, Tiffany R. Sanders, 34, had glassy, red eyes. Noticed her pupils appeared dilated for the lighting conditions. Sand- ers consented to field sobri- ety tests, exhibiting signs of impairment consistent with a central nervous system stim- ulate. Arrested the driver for intoxication. While prepar- ing to search her purse, she admitted she had metham- phetamine and drug para- phernalia in her bra, which she removed. She was trans- ported to the Grant County Jail. The driver submitted to a breath test. She provided two breath samples with both results being 0.00% blood alcohol concentration. She refused to complete a drug evaluation. She later admitted she had smoked methamphetamine around 2 p.m. and ate a small rock of methamphetamine while traveling back toward Baker City. She consented to and provided a urine sample, which will be sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab for analysis. Issued the driver a citation for DUI/ Drug and citation for pos- session of a controlled sub- stance, less than 2 grams of methamphetamine. The vehicle was secured at the scene per her request. Jan. 21: Went to North Cozart Avenue in Prairie City after receiving infor- mation that a 50-year-old man with a felony probation violation warrant was cur- rently at the residence. Went to the residence and con- tacted the man, Thomas E. Pfeifer of Prairie City, and took him into custody with- out incident. OSP previously confirmed the warrant ear- lier in the day and dispatch confirmed it as well. Trans- ported Pfeifer to the Grant County Jail where he was lodged. Jan. 22: Responded to a business on West Main Street in John Day on a reported firearm purchase denial. The attempted pur- chaser, a 70-year-old man, agreed to come to the John Day patrol office for the investigation. Investiga- tion revealed the purchase was denied over the sub- ject being on probation from a DUII arrest in 2008. The subject had a warrant for several years and was not arrested on it until 2017. In the adjudication of the case, the subject is on probation until Dec. 14, 2020. The sub- ject said he did not know he was on probation. There was no probation entry in LEDS, and in checking with Uma- tilla County Circuit Court, the judgment was signed by the judge and not the subject in this matter. The subject very likely did not know he was on probation. Addition- ally, there is no question on the ATF Firearms Transac- tion Record inquiring about misdemeanor probation. Case closed with no further action. Jan. 26: Investigated a two-vehicle, serious-in- jury crash on Highway 26 near milepost 168. Vehi- cle was struck from the rear by another automobile, and the driver lost control of the vehicle during the collision. The vehicle that was hit in the rear left the roadway, coming to an uncontrolled area of rest 192 feet from the area of the collision. The driver of the automobile that hit the vehicle drove to an area of controlled rest. The driver and passenger of the vehicle that was hit in the rear were transported by ambulance to Blue Moun- tain Hospital. A deputy from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office assisted documenting the scene and traffic control. Doug’s Towing responded and removed the vehicle hit in the rear. The automobile that hit the rear of the vehi- cle was removed by Frontier Towing. The driver that hit the rear of another vehicle Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 154 calls during the week of Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, including: • John Day Police Department Jan. 27: Responded to a report of theft. Donald D. Hildreth, 54, of John Day was cited for theft. Jan. 27: Advised of a sus- picious subject at the Sev- enth Street Complex. Jan. 27: Received a driv- ing complaint on Bridge Street. Jan. 28: Caleb Vielma, 30, of John Day was arrested on two Grant County warrants. Jan. 28: Received a report of criminal mischief. Jan. 31: Paged for a woman that fell and injured her hip on Northwest Sec- ond Avenue. Jan. 31: Cited Marco J. Harrell, 37, of Alexander City, Alabama, for speeding, 74/45 zone. Feb. 1: Cited Steven M. Warrington, 30, of John Day for driving while suspended and driving uninsured. • Oregon State Police Feb. 2: Advised of an ani- mal complaint on Highway 26 near milepost 143. Feb. 2: Received a call of domestic dispute on North Cozart Avenue. • Grant County Sher- iff’s Office Jan. 29: Received a report of trespassing on Wilson Street. Jan. 30: Conducted a traf- fic stop on Highway 26. Jan. 30: Received an ani- mal complaint on McHaley Street. Jan. 31: Conducted a traffic stop near Humbolt Elementary. • John Day ambulance Jan. 27: Responded to a 54-year-old man on South- west First Avenue with chest pain. Jan. 27: Responded to a 65-year-old man with diffi- culty breathing. Jan. 27: Responded for an 80-year-old man with breathing problems. Jan. 28: Responded to a 75-year-old woman with difficulty breathing on Nug- get Street. Jan. 28: Dispatched for a man with chest pain and dif- ficulty breathing at Valley View Assisted Living. Jan. 30: Dispatched for a woman who was extremely weak on Cozart Street. Jan. 31: Paged for a man that had fallen and hit his head on East Main Street. Jan. 31: Dispatched for an elderly woman with blood in her urine on Valley View Drive. Jan. 31: Responded to a 72-year-old man with loss of consciousness on Green Haven Road. NRA GUN SAFETY CLASS Meets requirements for Concealed Carry Permit The second installment of the 2019-20 property tax is due Tuesday, February 18th, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Payments may be made at the Tax Collector’s Office at the Grant County Courthouse in Canyon City, or the payment may be mailed and postmarked no later than February 18th, 2020. Please remember that delinquent taxes accrue interest at the rate of 16% per year. If you have any questions, please call the tax office at 575-0107 or 575-0189. Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Friday 8am - 5pm Friday Sharpe 8am - 5pm Mendy FNP was later issued a citation for a careless driving, acci- dent involved, and failure to seat belt a child passenger. {p dir=”ltr”}Jan. 28: Saw a burgundy 2001 Dodge Durango bearing Oregon plates abandoned on the side of the road near mile- post 7 on Highway 395C. Tagged the vehicle as aban- doned. On Jan. 29, at about 7:56 a.m., drove by the loca- tion and saw the vehicle was still there. Requested a non-preference tow. Doug’s Motor Vehicle Repair was notified to tow the vehicle. Sent the registered owner a tow notice via mail. Jan. 31: Received infor- mation on a chainsaw that had been stolen from the Oregon Department of For- estry John Day Office. Tay- lor M. Myers, 30, Canyon City, who was a former ODF employee, was arrested and charged with first-degree theft. He was transported to the Grant County Jail where he was booked and released. Feb: 1: Responded to a report of harassment in Prairie City. Charles Wil- liam, 58, of Prairie City was arrested and charged with harassment and second-de- gree disorderly conduct. He was transported to the Grant County Jail where he was lodged. February 15, 9a.m. - 2p.m. Limited space. Please call to register. Cost - $50 Ken Larssen 541 620-8254 S170683-1 PO Box 185 Canyon City, OR 97820 Mendy Sharpe FNP Apppointments available S167945-1 S167946-1 139101 S170685-1 541-523-6377 541-963-6577 541-573-6377 541-576-2160 Group Guitar with Stephanie LeQuieu: Begins Wednesday, February 5, 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Chamber Choir Group Class with Stephanie LeQuieu: Begins Thursday, February 6, 5:00 - 6:15 PM. Introductory Rock Band with Stephanie LeQuieu: Begins Thursday, February 6, 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Knitting 101 with Jessica Moore: Begins Monday, February 10, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Basic Drawing Class: Ongoing, Tuesdays through March 24, 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Liberating the Writer Within: Ongoing, Tuesdays through February 25, from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Intermediate Drawing Class: Ongoing, Thursdays through April 2, 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Arts After School & Friday Art Club: Ongoing; see more at Paintedskycenter.com /Kids-Art. For more info or to register visit paintedskycenter.com or email paintedskycenter@gmail.com. S170062-1 S167561-1