MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
NEWS
Judge ponders motion to sever McKrola cases
By TONY CHIOTTI
Blue Mountain Eagle
CANYON CITY — The defense
attorney for Brogan McKrola argued
the case for severing the charges
against him into separate jury trials,
while the prosecution argued a com-
peting motion to combine the cases
into a single trial. The online hear-
ing took place on Thursday, Sept. 29,
in Grant County Circuit Court, with
Judge Daina Vitolins of Crook County
presiding.
McKrola, 24, faces a total of 30
charges, 20 of those sexual off enses and
16 of them Measure 11 off enses that
carry mandatory minimum sentences.
There are a total of 11 named victims
and two charges of
aggravated animal
abuse. The defense
argued to split the
cases into sepa-
rate trials for each
of the victims, plus
a separate trial for
the animal abuse
charges.
The
Grant
County District
McKrola
Attorney’s Offi ce
has fi led a sep-
arate motion to
instead consolidate all charges against
McKrola into a single trial. Currently
the charges are split into two cases, one
involving eight charges stemming from
an incident on Dec. 20, 2020, which
names a single victim. The other case
comprises 22 charges and multiple vic-
tims, plus the animal abuse counts. The
crimes in that case are alleged to have
occurred between June 1, 2015, and
Dec. 4, 2020.
During the online hearing, the attor-
neys jointly asked for a protective order to
limit press coverage to reporting the fact
that the hearing took place and the out-
come of the hearing.
The judge’s ruling on competing
motions from the hearing will determine
the total number of jury trials to be con-
vened. No trial dates are currently sched-
uled pending the ruling.
McKrola is currently being held in the
Baker County Jail.
A5
Grant County deputies
arrest Texas fugitive
Man staying in John Day for past week
wanted on multiple child pornography warrants
By TONY CHIOTTI
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY — Jacob
Boots Luce, 29, of Crockett,
Texas, was taken into cus-
tody on Thursday, Sept. 29,
by Grant County deputies on
multiple warrants, all for pro-
motion of child pornography.
The U.S. Marshal Task
Force advised the Grant
County Emergency Commu-
nication Center on the morn-
ing of Thursday, Sept. 29,
that the fugitive Luce was
staying at the Budget Eight
Motel in John Day. Luce had
been on the run from author-
ities for over two months and
had been staying at the motel
for the past week. He was
arrested without incident.
“He was tired of running,”
said Sheriff Todd McKinley.
Luce will be extradited
to Texas to face charges
in that state, McKinley
said. There are no local
charges.
COPS AND COURTS
Circuit Court
Sept. 23
Destiny Dawn Burril
pleaded guilty to contempt of
court. Burril was sentenced
to 18 months of bench proba-
tion and 45 hours of commu-
nity service. Burril was also
ordered to pay a $250 fi ne and
$240 in restitution to the state
of Oregon.
Justice Court
The Grant County Justice
Court reported the following
activity for the week ending
Sept. 28:
Traffic citations filed: 55
Misdemeanors filed: 3
Hearings held: 4
Driver’s license suspen-
sions: 0
Cases on probation: 23
Small claims filed: 4
Warrants issued: 0
Violation of the basic
rule: Thomas Herrmann
Daimond, 64, Portland, July
17, 72/55, fined $165; Wil-
liam Hal Pierson, 72, Bea-
verton, July 17, 55/75, fined
$165; Earl Dean Larkin,
70, Forest Grove, Sept. 23,
75/55, fined $165; Scott E.
Whitley, 61, Eugene, 74/55,
fined $165.
Exceeding speed limit:
Kiersten Nichole Kirkhart,
20, Mt. Vernon, Aug. 27,
42/30, fined $165; Matthew
Raymond Henry, 67, Pend-
leton, Sept. 17, 44/25, fined
$165; Samantha Anne Con-
ley, 19, Lakeview, Sept. 13,
80/65, fined $265; Todd
William Munroe, 47, Tal-
ent, Sept. 19, 83/55, fined
$265; Anthony Donald Sar-
ganis, 41, Rohnert Park, CA,
Aug. 28, 47/35, fined $165;
Michael George Dunn,
28, Prairie City, Sept. 10,
81/65, fined $265; David
Wynde, 67, Portland, Sept.
17, 52/30, fined $265; Jesse
Ricardo Bennett, 36, Kent,
WA, Sept. 19, 83/55, fined
$265; Philip Ferreira, 57,
Hillsboro, Sept. 15, 75/65,
fined $165.
Failure to obey a traf-
fic control device: John Rex
Barstad, La Pine, Aug. 12,
fined $265.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office reported the fol-
lowing for the week ending
Sept. 28:
Concealed
handgun
licenses: 13
Average inmates: 8
Bookings: 5
Releases: 5
Arrests: 2
Citations: 1
Fingerprints: 10
Civil papers: 30
Warrants processed: 1
Assist/welfare check: 0
Search and rescue: 0
report of unauthorized use
of a motor vehicle on West
Main Street in John Day.
11:17 a.m.: Advised of
harassment by phone at Blue
Mountain Care Center, Prai-
rie City.
12:25: Received parking
complaint on South Main
Street in John Day.
5:51 p.m.: Traffic stop on
Highway 395/GUHS, John
Day. Driver warned.
6:50 p.m.: Missing per-
son reported at Grant County
Sheriff’s Office.
7:35 p.m.: Advised of a
suspicious person at Leath-
ers Gas Station, John Day.
8:08 p.m.: Advised of
vandalism at Canton and
Sixrth Street, John Day.
9:45 p.m.: Assisted a
motorist on Highway 7,
milepost 7.
10:08 p.m.:
Subject
wanting officers to look out
for him on Ford Road.
Sept. 23
7:45 a.m.: Advised of
animal complaint at the old
mill.
10:54 a.m.: Traffic stop
on Highway 26, milepost
165. Driver warned.
12:07 p.m.: Traffic stop
on Highway 26, milepost
163. Driver warned.
12:43 p.m.: Advised of a
suicidal subject with Monu-
ment Ambulance and Child
Protective Services at North
Humbolt Street, Canyon
City.
2:51 p.m.: Advised of
property damage at Canyon
City Hall.
8:21 p.m.: Advised of
dogs locked in an abandoned
building at the Oregon Pine
property, John Day.
9:09 p.m.: Investigated a
suspicious vehicle on East
Main Street in John Day.
Sept. 24
6:06 a.m.: Investigated a
single-car rollover at County
Road 62/Summit. No injuries.
10:22 a.m.:
Responded
to a burglar alarm with OSP
on South Canyon Boulevard,
John Day.
1:16 p.m.: Burglary on
Front Street in John Day.
2:03 p.m.: Report of lost
property at Road’s End.
2:17 p.m.: Driving com-
plaint/patrol request at Dog
Creek/Marysville.
3:17 p.m.: Report of a
camper being pulled throwing
sparks on Highway 26, mile-
post 156.
3:45 p.m.: Traffic stop on
Highway 26, milepost 163.
Driver warned.
10:05 p.m.: 911 call of
a couch and car on fire on
Highway 26/Indian Creek.
No injuries.
Sept. 25
6:29 a.m.: Report of an
abandoned vehicle on High-
way 395, milepost 118.
8:39 a.m.: Traffic stop in
John Day. Driver warned.
11:43 a.m.: Report of an
abandoned vehicle at Happy
valley.
2:11 p.m.:
Overdue
motorcyclist at Otis Road.
2:33 p.m.: Report of
a dispute between land-
lord and renter on Hillcrest
Drive, John Day.
3:23 p.m.: Traffic stop on
Highway 26, milepost 157.
Driver warned.
5:41 p.m.: Report of an
ongoing civil issue on Hill-
crest Drive, John Day.
7:34 p.m.:
Responded
with OSP for a commercial
burglar alarm on Highway
26. False alarm.
Sept. 26
8:40 a.m.: Responded to
a theft on Northwest Second
Avenue, John Day.
9:05 a.m.: Conducted a
welfare check at West 12th
Street.
10:31 a.m.: Responded to
a report of menacing at the
Elkhorn Motel, John Day.
1:59 p.m.: Traffi c stop
on SW Brent Drive. Driver
warned.
3:02 p.m.: Traffi c stop on
Highway 395, milepost 1.
Driver warned.
3:36 p.m.: Advised of
lost property on on Lamford
Road in John Day.
4:50 p.m.: Advised of lost
property at the Dayville Park.
5:20 p.m.: Advised of a
civil problem on Hillcrest
Drive in John Day.
7:52 p.m.: Traffi c stop on
Highway 26, milepost 154.
Driver warned.
7:55 p.m.: Advised with
OSP of a driver standing in
highway near a roadstuck
deer on Highway 26/Chil-
dress Loop.
8:05 p.m.: Assisted OSP
with a traffic stop at Dollar
General, John Day.
10:46 p.m.: Advised of a
cow in the road on Highway
395B in Fox.
Sept. 27
4:55 a.m.: Advised of a
possible felon in possession of
a weapon at Riverside Mobile
Home Park, John Day.
2:50 p.m.: Advised of a
door propped open at Grant
Union High School, John
Day.
5:02 p.m.: Responded to
an equipment problem on
South Canyon Boulevard,
John Day.
5:19 p.m.: Traffi c stop on
Highway 26, milepost 153.
Driver warned.
7:02 p.m.: Responded to a
report of an unwanted subject
at 60500 Highway 26.
• Oregon State Police
Sept. 22
3:01 p.m.: Advised of a
driving complaint with GCSO
at Andy’s Plumbing.
3:26 p.m.: Advised of a
driving complaint with GCSO
on Highway 26, milepost 175.
Sept. 23
9:22 a.m.: Advised of a
truck with a blown tire in
Highway 26, milepost 125.5.
Sept 26
1:22 p.m.: Traffi c stop on
Highway 395, milepost 31.
3:24 p.m.: Advised of a
motorist needing assistance
on Highway 26, milepost 189.
Dispatch
Grant County dispatch
worked 136 calls during
the week ending Sept. 28,
including:
• Grant County Sher-
iff’s Office
Sept. 21
6:45 p.m.:
Responded
to a verbal dispute at Main
Street Park in Long Creek.
7:20 p.m.: Received a
request for a wellness check
at Valley View Assisted Liv-
ing, John Day.
Sept. 22
6:43 a.m.: Received a
report of phone fraud on
Dixie Creek Road.
7:55 a.m.: Received a
Sept. 27
6:10 a.m.: Advised of a
vehicle vs. horse accident
near Seneca.
6:52 a.m.: Advised of live-
stock creating a hazard on
Highway 25/Muse Road.
11:34 a.m.: Received info
of a calf on the highway on
Highway 395, milepost 17.5.
1:34 p.m.: Advised of
a threatening situation on
Northwest Bridge Street in
John Day.
9:27 p.m.: Advised of a
vehicle vs. elk accident on
Highway 26/North River
Road. No injuries.
• John Day Ambulance
Sept. 21
6:14 p.m.: Responded to a
100-year-old male needing a
lift assist on Dog Patch Lane.
9:45 p.m.: Responded to a
70-year-old female who had
lost consciousness on North-
west Valley View Drive.
Sept. 22
8:14 a.m.: Responded to
an 86-year-old female with
a hurt back at Valley View
Assisted Living.
8:24 a.m.: Responded to a
79-year-old female needing a
lift assist on North Humbolt
Street, Canyon City.
11:28 a.m.: Ambulance
transport to airport.
Sept. 23
4:51 p.m.: Responded to
a sick 85-year-old female on
Thomason Lane in Canyon
City.
Sept. 25
5:44 p.m.:
Responded
with Prairie City Ambulance
to a male subject passing out
on North River Road.
Sept. 26
10:37 a.m.:
Responded
to a 70-year-old female who
is not eating or drinking at
Northwest Second Avenue.
Sept. 27
6:57 p.m.: Transfer to air-
port from Blue Mountain
Hospital.
• Long Creek Ambulance
Sept. 25
8:02 p.m.: Responded to
an 83-year-old female with
stroke symptoms on South
Eagle Street.
• Seneca Ambulance
Sept. 26
1:37 p.m.:
Responded
with John Day Ambulance
to a 66-year-old female with
withdrawal symptoms on A
Avenue.
• Prairie City Ambulance
Sept. 26
4:38 p.m.:
Responded
with John Day Ambulance
to a 67-year-old female with
breathing issues on Bridge
Street.
Man arrested after
3 years on the run
JOHN DAY — On the
morning of Monday, Oct. 3,
Grant County sheriff ’s depu-
ties arrested Gene Robert Nor-
land, 39, on multiple warrants.
Norland, who had been
a fugitive since 2019 from
Malheur County and Payette
County, Idaho, was wanted
for probation violation, theft,
malicious injury and drug
charges. He was arrested at
the Meadowbrook Apart-
ments in John Day.
Norland was being held at
the Grant County Jail, await-
ing transport to Malheur
County.
Cougars sighted in
Prairie, Canyon City
Blue Mountain Eagle
CANYON CITY — The
Grant County Sheriff ’s Offi ce
has received several reports of
cougar sightings in the area.
These include a close encoun-
ter near the cemetery in Can-
yon City, and a sighting in the
yard of a Prairie City resident
near Prairie Wood Products.
“It’s that time of year,” said
Sheriff Todd McKinley. “We
see it in the fall when the cats
and the bears start coming to
town. They’re looking for food
and getting ready for winter,
so there’s just a higher chance
you’re going to encounter
them.”
The Sheriff ’s Offi ce asks
anyone who encounters a cou-
gar or other predator in a pop-
ulated area to call the Grant
County Emergency Commu-
nication Center at 541-515-
0195. While appropriate to
defend yourself or others if
the animal poses an immedi-
ate threat, the sheriff said, it
is best to allow the appropri-
ate personnel to handle most
situations.
Wanted
Long Creek School Board
has Position #1 (at large)
now vacant.
If you are interested in serving on
the School Board and are a legally
registered voter with at least one
year of residency within Long Creek
School District you may request an
application by calling Jennifer at
541-508-9164.
Monday - Thursday
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6pm
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- Thursday
7am-
6pm
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8am
- 5pm
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8am - 5pm
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Apppointments
available
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Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
eff ort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases