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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2022)
NEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, January 5, 2022 A5 Cranston disputes prosecution case Defendant in Bend bar shooting says he was attacked By BRYCE DOLE The Bulletin Documents filed Thursday, Dec. 30, in Deschutes County Circuit Court provide the latest and most detailed account of a high-profile shooting outside a bar in Bend that sparked community outrage and gar- nered statewide media attention. But the story, told in a motion by the defendant’s attor- ney, differs from what prosecutors have alleged. Ian Macken- zie Cranston, 27, is Ian charged with murder Cranston in the Sept. 19 death of Barry Khristiano Washington Jr., 22. Cranston’s attorney, Kevin Sali, filed a motion for Cran- ston’s release on bail that includes Barry what Sali says is an account of the Washington Jr. events leading up to the shooting. Cranston, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and four other charges in the death of Washington, a 22-year-old Black man. He is being held in the Deschutes County Jail without bail. Washington’s shooting quickly caught widespread attention when Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel announced Washing- ton had been shot shortly after com- Dean Guernsey/The Bulletin, File Bruce Dart of Bend lights a candle at the memorial for Barry K. Washington Jr. at the corner of Northwest Oregon Ave- nue and Wall Street on Sept. 21, 2021. Washington was shot and killed outside a downtown bar. plimenting Cranston’s girlfriend. In a press conference, Hummel compared the shooting to the case of Emmett Till, a Black teen murdered in 1955 by white men for talking to a white woman. In an email statement to The Bulletin, Sali described Hummel’s public statements as “false and inflammatory.” He said the defense is “immensely grateful that the events of that evening were comprehensively and accurately captured on video by multiple cameras. For our part, we will continue to make our case in court, where it belongs, and based on the evidence, as it should be.” Hummel did not respond to requests for comment prior to press time. Thursday’s motion provides the most detailed description yet seen about the shooting outside the Capitol bar at Northwest Oregon Avenue and Wall Street. It is taken primarily from videos and firsthand witness accounts, Sali said. The motion states that prior to the shooting, Washington had been drink- ing and was “behaving erratically and aggressively.” At one point that night, he approached three police officers, shouting expletives at them and then “put both hands up with middle fin- gers pointed in (their) direction for multiple seconds,” according to the motion. Roughly 30 minutes later, the motion states, Washington approached Cranston’s fiancee, Allison Butler, when Cranston was not around and “expressed interest in her.” Butler informed him that she was engaged by showing him the ring on her fin- ger. The two hugged, separated, and Washington left the bar, according to the motion. Cranston, Butler and their friend, Tyler Smith, left the bar minutes later and had walked up the street before Washington approached them and “verbally propositioned” Butler, who declined again, according to the motion. The motion does not describe what was said next, except to say that the group repeatedly asked Washing- ton to leave but he did not. Sali’s motion says Washington, unprovoked, then punched Cranston in the head twice, causing Cranston to fall. Trial begins in child rape case COPS AND COURTS Grant County Sheriff The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week ending Dec. 28: Concealed handgun licenses: 3 Average inmates: 12 Bookings: 5 Releases: 4 Arrests: 2 Citations: 2 Fingerprints: 0 Civil papers: 24 Warrants processed: 0 Asst./welfare check: 3 Search and rescue: 0 Oregon State Police Dispatch Grant County dispatch worked 120 calls during the week ending Dec. 28, including: • Oregon State Police Dec. 24: Advised of a request for a welfare check on a motorist on Highway 395 South near Seneca. Dec. 26: Advised of a slide- off accident on Highway 26 near milepost 192. Dec. 28: Advised of a driv- ing complaint on Highway 26 near milepost 184. Dec. 29: Advised of a vehi- cle with no tail lights on High- way 26 near Dog Creek Road. Dec. 30: Advised of a bro- ken-down pickup on Highway 395 near milepost 108. • Grant County Sheriff’s Office Dec. 24: Responded with Oregon State Police to River- side Mobile Home Park, John Day, for a domestic dispute. Wesley Walker, 35, John Day, was arrested for harassment. Dec. 24: Responded to Highway 395C near milepost 7 to assist a motorist. Dec. 24: Reported hazard- ous road conditions at Highway 395 near milepost 4 to Oregon Department of Transportation. Dec. 24: Responded with Oregon State Police to High- way 395C near milepost 4 for a slide-off accident. Dec. 25: Responded to Southwest Brent Drive, John Day, for a dispute. Dec. 25: Responded to Riv- erside Mobile Home Park, John Day, for a 911 call with no one speaking. Accidental dial. Dec. 25: Responded to North Cozart Street, Prairie City, for a welfare check. Dec. 25: Responded to Seventh Street Complex, John Day, for a suspicious person. Dec. 25: responded to North Cozart Street, Prairie City, for a welfare check. Dec. 26: Advised of a live- stock complaint on School House Lane, Mt. Vernon. Dec. 26: Responded to Riverside Street, Mt. Ver- non, for an animal complaint. Michael Douglas, 50, of Mt. Vernon was cited for allow- ing a dog to create a public nuisance. Dec. 26: Responded to North Cozart Street, Prairie City, for a possible unattended death. Dec. 26: Traffic stop, High- way 26 near milepost 163. Driver warned for speeding. Dec. 26: Traffic stop, Highway 26 near milepost 164. Tamara Vadimovna Ivaschenko, 27, of Modesto, California, cited for speeding (51/35 zone). Dec. 26: Responded to Reynolds Road, Prairie City, for a domestic dispute. Caleb Arnold Madsen, 24, Prairie City, was arrested on a charge of assault (domestic violence). Dec. 27: Advised of a driv- ing complaint at Main and Canton streets, John Day. Dec. 28: Responded to Southeast Weberg Road near Paulina for a non-injury accident. Dec. 28: Responded to North Washington Street, Prai- Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Monday - Thursday 7am- 6pm Friday 8am - 5pm Friday Sharpe 8am - 5pm Mendy FNP rie City, for a restraining order violation. Dec. 28: Responded to West Main Street, John Day, for a driving complaint. Dec. 29: Responded to Highway 26 near Carpenter Pond Road for a non-injury accident. Dec. 29: Responded to Riverside Mobile Home Park to assist the Department of Human Services. Dec. 29: Responded to Dol- lar General, John Day, for sus- picious circumstances. Dec. 29: Responded to First Community Credit Union, John Day, for an alarm. False alarm. Dec. 29: Responded to Tex- aco station in Canyon City for an abandoned vehicle. Dec. 29: Responded to Depot Park, Prairie City, for a report of a dog tied up outdoors in severe weather. Dec. 29: Responded to John Day Fire Hall to assist a motorist. Dec. 29: Responded to Screech Alley, John Day, for reports of dogs at large attack- ing another dog. Dec. 29: Responded to Cot- tonwood Street, Mt. Vernon, for a pickup that slid off the road and lost a load of hay. Dec. 29: Traffic stop, Main Street and Canyon Boulevard, John Day. Driver warned for speeding. Dec. 29: Advised of shots fired on Marysville Lane, Can- yon City. Dec. 30: Responded to Riv- erside Mobile Home Park, John Day, for a noise complaint. Dec. 30: Responded to Best Western Motel, John Day, for theft of a towing hitch. Dec. 30: Responded to Marysville Lane, Canyon City, for a public assist. Dec. 30: Responded with Oregon State Police and John Day Ambulance to Highway 26 near milepost 152 for a sin- gle-vehicle accident with pos- sible injuries. Dec. 30: Responded to Middle Fork Lane near Bates for a non-injury accident. Dec. 30: Traffic stop on Seventh Street, John Day. Warned juveniles on an ATV. • John Day Ambulance Dec. 25: Dispatched with Dayville Fire Department to School House Drive, Day- ville, for an 88-year-old male who was unconscious and not breathing. Dec. 26: Patient transfer at the airport. Dec. 26: Dispatched to Pic- nic Creek Road for a fall injury. Dec. 27: Patient transfer at the airport. Dec. 27: Responded to North River Road, Prairie City, for a possible stroke. Dec. 27: Responded to North Bridge Street for a fall injury. Dec. 28: Patient transfer at the airport. Dec. 28: Responded to Highway 402 in Kimberly for a possible stroke. Dec. 29: Patient transport to St. Charles Medical Center, Bend. Dec. 29: Dispatched to val- ley View Assisted Living for a 77-year-old female feeling weak and faint. Dec. 29: Dispatched to val- ley View Assisted Living for a nosebleed. Dec. 29: Dispatched to North Humbolt Street, Canyon City, for a 50-year-old male having a seizure. Dec. 30: Dispatched to Chester’s Market for a fall. Dec. 30: Dispatched to Cottonwood Street, Mt. Ver- non, for an elderly woman with a medical issue. • Seneca Ambulance Dec. 25: Responded to D Avenue for an 83-year-old male with a possible stroke. • Prairie City Ambulance Dec. 26: Responded with Grant County Sheriff’s Office to Reynolds Road, Prairie City, for a domestic assault. • Prairie City Fire Dec. 29: Responded to East Fifth Street for a fire alarm. Blue Mountain Eagle CANYON CITY — Trial has begun in the case of a John Day man accused of multiple sex crimes against a child. Philip Joseph Rodriguez, 41, is charged with several felonies, including first-de- gree rape, first-degree sod- omy and first-degree sexual abuse. The crimes are said to have occurred between late January and early April of 2019, and the alleged victim was a girl under the age of 12 who is known to Rodriguez. An additional charge of first-degree unlawful sex- ual penetration has been dismissed. Because of the girl’s age at the time of the alleged crimes, the rape and sod- omy charges fall under the terms of Jessica’s Law. If convicted on either of those charges, Rodriguez would face a mandatory mini- mum sentence of 25 years in prison. The 12-person jury trial started Monday, Jan. 3, and is scheduled to continue through Friday, Jan. 14. Judge Lung S. Hung is presiding over the case in Grant County Circuit Court. Rodriguez is represented by defense attorney Kathleen Erin Dunn and Strawberry Mountain Law, according to court filings. Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Oregon Public Utility Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $24.00 per month and business services are $33.00-$35.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or qualifying broadband service per household, which can be either a wireline or wireless service. Broadband speeds must be 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload or faster to qualify. A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline telephone or broadband service can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program. If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-800-201-4099 or visit centurylink. com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program. Mendy Sharpe FNP Apppointments available S275588-1 139101 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. Cranston stood up and pulled out his gun as Washington threatened him, according to the motion. But- ler started filming on her phone. The defense says Butler’s video footage from that moment is shaky because Washington grabbed and shoved her. Sali said in the motion that when Smith stepped in and tried to separate them, Washington punched him in the face and then turned toward Cranston, who was holding his gun a few feet away. Then, Cranston shot Washing- ton once. The motion says Cranston “imme- diately” started providing aid to Washington and called for help, and that when police arrived he was aid- ing Washington and admitted to them that he had fired the gun. Washington was transported to St. Charles Bend, where he later died. After being taken to the hospital, Cranston was jailed on suspicion of manslaughter and later released after posting $10,000 bail. He was jailed again, without bail, after a grand jury indicted him on the second-degree murder charge. Sali argues that the case against Cranston does not meet Oregon stan- dards for a defendant charged with murder to be held without bail. In his motion, Sali argues that a defendant charged with mur- der under Oregon law can only be held without bail if the court con- cludes that the evidence against the accused “demonstrates a strong like- lihood of conviction of murder at trial.” The defense also argues that the state has not proven that Cran- ston acted intentionally and did not act in self-defense. The court has not yet set a date for Cranston’s release hearing. Crans- ton’s trial is set for November. S273971-1