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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2020)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, May 6, 2020 A5 Deputy on paid leave for more than a year pleads guilty to DUII More than 13 months of administrative leave costs county more than $75,000 Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who has been on paid administrative leave for over a year pleaded guilty last week to driving drunk in February. Deputy Abigail Mobley, 35, of John Day admitted to driving on Highway 26 near Unity Feb. 8 with a blood alcohol content of 0.27%, more than three times the legal limit, in a plea petition filed April 9 in Baker County Cir- cuit Court. On April 9, Mobley also filed a petition for a driving under the influence of intox- icants diversion — a legal provision that allows a DUII charge to be dismissed after one year if certain conditions are met. Mobley’s signed agree- ment would require com- pleting an alcohol and drug abuse assessment and any recommended treatment, not using intoxicants, paying required diversion fees and installing an ignition inter- lock device if ordered by the court. Circuit Court Judge Mat- thew B. Shirtcliff accepted the plea petition April 30 and ordered Mobley to be booked and fingerprinted by the Baker County sheriff and “released promptly there- after,” according to court documents. Mobley was arrested Feb. 8 after pulling over to use the restroom and getting stuck in the snow, according to an Oregon State Police report. She stumbled down the road- way and fell down, causing minor abrasions to her face, according to OSP. Mobley was cited and released to her husband at the Baker County Jail, OSP said. Mobley was placed on paid third-party state agency.” The Oregon Department of Justice confirmed an investi- gation involving Mobley was still ongoing in December, but Communications Direc- tor Kristina Edmunson has not confirmed whether the investi- gation is still active. Mobley’s wages and ben- efits cost the county between $5,600 and $7,100 per month, so more than 13 months of administrative leave has cost the county between $75,000 and $96,000. administrative leave by the county almost a year earlier, March 18, 2019. Grant County Human Resources Manager Laurie Wright confirmed May 4 Mobley was still employed by the county and on adminis- trative leave. Grant County officials have declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding the leave or to provide documents requested by the Eagle, stat- ing the information was part of a “pending criminal inves- tigation being conducted by a Former deputy pleads not guilty to attempted rape, other charges By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle The former deputy who was arrested on attempted rape and other charges maintained his innocence Thursday. Former Grant County Sher- iff’s Office deputy Tyler Smith pleaded not guilty to seven charges in a Grant County Circuit Court proceeding con- ducted by teleconference. Smith, who was discharged by the sheriff’s office in Jan- uary, was indicted Sept. 27 on charges of first-degree attempted rape, a class B fel- ony, and attempted first-de- gree sex abuse and fourth-de- gree assault, class C felonies — all constituting domes- tic violence. The indictment accuses Smith of attempting to engage in sexual intercourse with his spouse on Aug. 31, 2018, “by forcible compul- sion” and while knowing she was pregnant. He also faces four class A Contributed photo Tyler Smith misdemeanor charges of sec- ond-degree child neglect, accused of leaving two chil- dren under the age of 10 unat- tended at a John Day resi- dence on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, according to information filed in court Sept. 10 by Grant County Special Deputy Dis- trict Attorney Gretchen M. Ladd Dobler. The felony and misde- meanor cases will be tried separately. The six-day fel- ony trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 19. The two-day misde- meanor trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 4. Hearings for pretrial motions are scheduled for May 14 and Aug. 14. Senior Judge William D. Cramer Jr. said, should social distancing rules still be in place in October, the trial might need a larger venue, such as the Grant County Fair- grounds, where people can be 6 feet apart. He said he has not yet discussed this with Grant County officials. Smith worked for the John Day Police Department from November 2014 until May 2016 when he was hired by the sheriff’s office. Smith was arrested Sept. 9, but he had already been placed on administrative leave Aug. 9 for an unrelated issue, Grant County Human Resources Manager Laurie Wright said. Grant County District Attor- ney Jim Carpenter said Smith had been placed on leave “for issues related to the perfor- mance of his duties as a sher- iff’s deputy.” May 2: Along with JDPD, GCSO, John Day ambu- lance and Mt. Vernon fire, responded to an accident on Highway 26 between Dayville and Mt. Vernon. May 3: Advised of live- stock on the Highway on Highway 26. May 3: Advised of an injured animal on the roadway on Highway 395B. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office April 29: Received a report of theft in Seneca. May 1: Received a report of burglary on Jenkins Road. May 2: Received a report of criminal mischief on Ingle Street. • John Day ambulance April 30: Along with Prairie City ambulance, paged for a woman with flu-like symptoms on South Johnson Avenue. May 1: Responded for a 76-year-old woman with intestinal issues on South Johnson Avenue. May 1: Responded to a 41-year-old woman who was intoxicated. May 3: Responded for an 84-year-old man who had fallen on South Main Street. May 3: Responded to a 74-year-old woman with chest pains on North John- son Street. COPS AND COURTS Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week of April 29: Concealed handgun licenses: 0 Average inmates: 11 Bookings: 3 Releases: 5 Arrests: 0 Citations: 0 Fingerprints: 1 Civil papers: 2 Warrants processed: 1 Assistance/Welfare check: 0 Search and Rescue: 1 Grant County Justice Court Violation of the basic rule: Robert J. Fenili, 33, Bend, March 4, 78/55 zone, fined $265; Rodd M. Ambroson, 65, Joseph, Feb. 7, 70/55 zone, fined $140. Exceeding speed limit: Juvenile, 16, John Day, Nov. 12, 79/65 zone, fined $165. Violation of provisional license restriction: Juvenile, 16, John Day, Nov. 12, fined $200. Operating with nonstan- dard light: Kaleb K. Voigt, 39, Sandpoint, Idaho, Feb. 27, fined $140; Dereck E. Boggs, 22, Kimberly, March 13, fined $165. Failure to properly use safety belt: Nickole E. Dales- sio, 28, Mt. Vernon, March 12, fined $115. Failure to drive within lane: Daniel J. Heuston, 41, Richland, Washington, Dec. 10, fined $265. Refusal to take a breath test: Daniel J. Heuston, 41, Richland, Washington, Dec. 10, fined $650. Oregon State Police April 28: OSP conducted a traffic stop for speed violation on Highway 26 near milepost 155. OSP contacted a 26-year- old male driver. After further investigation, OSP searched the vehicle and located a fire- arm and marijuana extract. Andrew S. Ballou of Mt. Ver- non was cited in lieu of cus- tody for felon in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana extract. April 29: OSP stopped a white Chevrolet pickup dis- playing a California license plate for violation of posted speed, 48/30 zone on Highway 395C near milepost 2. Daniel R. Cook, 55, was taken into custody on a misdemeanor arrest warrant out of Lincoln County, New Mexico. The subject was transported to the Grant County Jail and lodged on the arrest warrant. He was issued a citation for violation of the posted speed. The vehi- cle was secured at the scene, and the vehicle keys were later released to a friend. April 30: OSP stopped a blue 1991 Mercedes sedan near milepost 1 on High- way 395C for multiple traf- fic violations. On contact with the driver, Benjamin K. Yocum, 20, of Crooked River Ranch, OSP saw indicators of impairment. Yocum con- sented to field sobriety tests and displayed additional indi- cators of impairment. OSP arrested Yocum for driving under the influence of intox- icants. Another trooper found open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. Yocum’s vehi- cle was released to a passen- ger. OSP transported Yocum to the Grant County Jail. He submitted to a breath test with a blood alcohol concen- tration result of 0.10%. OSP cited and released the driver for DUII-Alcohol. OSP also issued the driver citations for driving uninsured, open con- tainer and MIP-Alcohol. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 66 calls during the week of April 27 to May 3, including: • John Day Police Department April 29: Steven War- rington, 30, of John Day was cited for driving while sus- pended violations and no insurance. April 29: Jeffrey Cook, 23, of John Day was cited for driving while suspended vio- lations and no insurance. April 29: Received a report of a grass fire on Adam Road. May 1: Cited Devon P. Pace, 19, of Canyon City for driving while suspended and no insurance. • Oregon State Police May 1: Along with Oregon Department of Transportation, advised of a disabled vehicle blocking Highway 26. Happy Mother’s Day Due to COVID-19, we will do things differently this year to keep our customers safe. 10% off coupons available for one time purchase of nursery stock. Coupons will be available May 6th -10th and can be used until May 22. Call or come in to get your coupons. Better Blooms & Gardens 65153 Hwy. 26, John Day • 541-820-3329 S187127-1 Growing 75 Years Generations Together for 75 Years. SINCE 1945 Let’s plan for your next 75 years of growth. 210 E. Main Mt. Vernon 541-932-4520 Currently, we may JOHN DAY be limiting access 200 W. Main Street (541) 575-1862 in our lobbies. If Janice Provencher, Branch Mgr your branch entry is locked during business hours, PRAIRIE CITY please wait a 178 N.W. Front Street moment and (541) 820-3321 we’ll let you in. Andrea Austinson, Branch Mgr Bob Quinton, Ag & Commercial Loan Officer CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT dfse@ortelco.net S185529-1 Rates & terms may vary. All loans subject to credit approval. Member FDIC. NMLS #414459 EQUAL HOUSING LENDER S171109-1 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.
