A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
No charges for Morrow County deputy
By PHIL WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
Morrow County District
Attorney Justin Nelson
said a grand jury found no
criminal wrongdoing in
deputy Aaron Haak’s Sept.
22 shooting of an armed
man.
The grand jury Monday
afternoon watched police
video footage from the
shooting that took place
along Interstate 84 near
Boardman. The grand jury
also heard testimony from
the state police detective
who investigated the case.
After reviewing the ev-
idence, Nelson said he
asked the jury if it wanted
his office to pursue charges
against Haak.
“And their response was
no,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the shoot-
ing victim, Efren Hurtado
Jr., 26, of Boardman, is re-
covering at a Portland hos-
pital, and was well enough
to talk to police, in spite of
taking a bullet to the head.
Haak, of Heppner,
parked his police car be-
hind an older Chevy Tahoe
on the westbound side of
Interstate 84 near the exit
for Boardman in the early
morning hours of Sept. 22.
Nelson said other officers
the day before noticed the
vehicle, and Haak was go-
ing to make sure state po-
lice tagged it for towing.
As Haak approached,
Nelson said Haak did not
expect anyone to be in-
side. That’s when Hurtado
opened the rear passenger
door, looked out and point-
ed a gun at the deputy.
Haak quickly fired two
rounds, Nelson said. One
missed and the other struck
Hurtado in the side of the
head, dropping him. The
bullet, however, did not
penetrate the man’s skull.
Haak rushed back to his
car for cover, Nelson said,
called dispatch and waited
until other police arrived
minutes later.
Police approached the
SUV, he said, and found
Hurtado unconscious with
a revolver next to his hand.
Nelson confirmed that
the investigation followed
the Morrow County Sher-
iff’s Office protocol for
police shootings. That in-
cludes waiting at least 48
hours before questioning
the officer in-depth and al-
lowing the deputy to have
an attorney present. Nelson
said he knows the delay is
controversial among some
law enforcement reformers
and the practice has come
under fire in Portland.
Morrow County Sheriff
Ken Matlack defended the
protocol, explaining an of-
ficer’s “excited utterances”
at the scene are not always
helpful to figure out what
happened.
Matlack said the best
practice in the immediate
wake of a traumatic event
is to ask an officer ques-
tions “for basic clarity,”
such as: Are people in-
jured? Should police look
for a suspect? Pushing an
officer to give details in the
moments after a shooting
can cloud recollections be-
cause, he said, “they’re full
of adrenalin and full of all
the emotions.”
The waiting period al-
lows an officer to “decom-
press,” he said, and provide
better information during
later questioning.
Matlack also said be-
cause the shooting in-
volved one of his deputies,
he wanted an outside agen-
cy to handle the investiga-
tion to avoid conflicts of
interests.
“I can use anybody I
want and feel is appropri-
ate to investigate this,” he
said.
Oregon State Police
made the most sense, he
explained, because the
agency is a member of the
major crime team for Mor-
row and Umatilla counties,
so those officers responded
to the shooting. While state
police took the lead, Mat-
lack said the detective still
had to adhere to the sher-
iff’s office plan for investi-
gating the shooting.
Nelson said his office
has not decided about
charging Hurtado, who
told police he knew when
Haak approaching the ve-
hicle that he was a police
officer, but otherwise gave
guarded answers. Circuit
court records show Hurta-
do pleaded guilty to meth-
amphetamine possession
in December 2015 in Mor-
row County and November
2016 in Umatilla County
and is serving five years
probation, which includes
a provision not to possess
weapons, firearms or dan-
gerous animals.
Matlack said Haak has
been on leave during the
investigation, per the offi-
cer-involved shooting plan,
which is in the process of
review.
The plan does not pro-
vide a timeframe for when
an officer should return to
work after a shooting, Mat-
lack said, while most agen-
cies specify a period of 48
or 72 hours.
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
TUESDAY, SEPT. 26
1:37 p.m. — A man came to the
Hermiston Police station to report
that his father threatened to beat him
up and kill him, at West Tamarack
Avenue, Hermiston.
3:29 p.m. — A missing person
was reported at West Sunland
Avenue, Hermiston.
7:49 p.m. — A runaway was re-
ported at Northwest Seventh Street,
Hermiston.
9:59 p.m. — A caller reported her
passenger side window was broken
out, at West Theater Lane, Hermiston.
11:42 p.m. — A caller reported ju-
veniles throwing bell peppers at cars
on East Jennie Avenue, but officers
couldn’t locate the incidents.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27
6:46 p.m. — A drunk driver was
reported at Harrison Park on West
Madrona Avenue and Northwest 13th
Street, Hermiston. A white female
and male were drinking in the park-
ing lot and yelling at people.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29
12:03 p.m. — A missing person
was reported at North First Street,
Hermiston.
5:54 p.m. — A male was laying
down at the entry between Walmart
and McDonalds, in the middle of
the road, on North First Street,
Hermiston.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
2:03 p.m. — Two men were
reported fighting at East Diagonal
Boulevard, Hermiston.
3:35 p.m. — Three juveniles were
reported climbing on top of the train
at Hodge Park.
9:52 p.m. — A suicidal subject
was reported at West Division
Avenue, Hermiston.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017
RECORDS
11:46 p.m. — A man and a woman
were fighting, and the man was
chasing the woman on foot outside
the trailer across the street.
SUNDAY, OCT. 1
1:49 a.m. — A prowler was
reported at Southwest 11th Street,
Hermiston.
5:04 a.m. — A woman reported a
burglary at West Ridgeway Avenue,
and said there was a man in her
house.
4:33 p.m. — A car hit and killed a
dog at West Hermiston Avenue, and
then left.
6:22 p.m. — A drunk driver was
reported at East Autumn Avenue,
Hermiston.
MONDAY, OCT. 2
6:12 p.m. — A man was crouched
down behind an air conditioning unit
on West Orchard Avenue, and ap-
peared to be hiding from someone.
COURT REPORT
SENTENCES
The following sentences have
been imposed in Umatilla County
courts:
MISDEMEANOR
• Jesse Allen Salisbury, 30, Irri-
gon, pleaded guilty to Theft II: sen-
tenced to 180 days jail-suspended, 2
years probation, 40 hours community
service, $100 fine and $900 fine-sus-
pended, plus court costs and fees.
• Wendy Lynn Long, 47, Umatilla,
pleaded guilty to Criminal Trespass
II: sentenced to 30 days jail and $100
fine.
• Kenneth Harold Cox III, 24,
Hermiston, pleaded guilty to DUII:
sentenced to 30 days jail, 150 days
jail-suspended, 2 years probation, 80
hours community service, $1,255 fine,
$2,000 fine-suspended and 1 year
driver’s license suspension, plus court
costs and fees.
• Roni Lee Castillo, 23, Hermiston,
pleaded guilty to Failure to Appear II:
sentenced to 180 days jail-suspend-
ed, 2 years probation, 40 hours com-
munity service, $100 fine and $900
fine-suspended, plus court costs and
fees.
SUITS FILED
The following suits have been
filed in Umatilla County courts (inter-
est, court costs and fees not listed):
• Credits Inc. vs. Denise McNaugh-
ton of Hermiston: seeks $18,092.42.
• Credits Inc. vs. Tiffany C.
Schiefelbein of Irrigon: seeks
$1,201.50.
• Credits Inc. vs. Eric Carlson of
Hermiston: seeks $1,822.84.
• Credits Inc. vs. Isidora and
Horacio Villarreal of Umatilla: seeks
$880.51.
• Jefferson Capital Systems LLC vs.
Wonetta I. Litzsinger: seeks $851.68.
• Credits Inc. vs. Dawn and Abel
Viesca of Umatilla: seeks $1,554.30.
• Credits Inc. vs. Karmen M.
Hauner of Hermiston: seeks $980.68.
• Credits Inc. vs. Mary Hegar of
Boardman: seeks $6,996.22.
• Credits Inc. vs. Leticia Madrigal
of Umatilla: seeks $645.16.
• Credits Inc. vs. Jessica and
Jordan Esparza of Irrigon: seeks
$2,058.05.
• Credits Inc. vs. Brandon Jacobs
of Irrigon: seeks $1,711.85.
• Credits Inc. vs. Maria C. and Eric
Garcia of Umatilla: seeks $465.45.
• Credits Inc. vs. Gary L. Klinger
Jr. and Janet R. Klinger of Boardman:
seeks $3,761.58.
• Credits Inc. vs. Jake and Carol
Fagan of Echo: seeks $1,144.48.
• Credits Inc. vs. Brittnie Williams
of Hermiston: seeks $4,658.65.
• Credits Inc. vs. Sharmalee Fra-
ser (Olney) and Naythan A. Olney of
Hermiston: seeks $2,264.89.
• Jefferson Capital Systems LLC
vs. Whitney S. Ellison of Hermiston:
judgment for $963.33.
• LVNV Funding LLC vs. Sherrie
Koenig of Hermiston: judgment for
$1,495.66.
• Progressive Universal Insur-
ance Company vs. Luis Perez Avila of
Hermiston: judgment for $3,276.34.
• Credits Inc. vs. John G. and
Karan Piening of Hermiston: seeks
$2,759.34.
• Credits Inc. vs. Antonio Garcia
Cardenas of Hermiston: judgment for
$662.10.
• Ray Klein Inc. dba Professional
Credit Service vs. Rodney L. and Tere-
sa Harris of Hermiston: seeks $645.08.
• Credits Inc. vs. Kelly J. Marshall
of Hermiston: judgment for $2,925.08.
• Bonneville Billing & Collections
Inc. vs. Annette L. Kruckenberg of
Hermiston: judgment for $884.50.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Serena
Lopez: seeks $2,923.22.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Tara
Hart: seeks $802.19.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Melissa
Johnson: seeks $769.41.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Steven
Steffen: seeks $778.66.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Timo-
thy Coggins: seeks $813.27.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Carmen
Arellano (Arellano Campos): seeks
$2,653.52.
• Merchants Acceptance Corp. vs.
Mayra Alvarez of Hermiston: judg-
ment for $38,581.16.
• LVNV Funding LLC vs. G. Moreno
Espinoza of Umatilla: judgment for
$544.21.
• Credits Inc. vs. Joann M. Curtis
and Billy Curtis Sr. of Hermiston: judg-
ment for $3,832.39.
• Midland Funding LLC vs. Lindsey
Evans: seeks $750.37.
• Sterling Jewelers inc. dba Kay
Jewelers vs. Faith Johnson: seeks
$1,522.31.
• Credits Inc. vs. Jessica L. Taylor
(Masterson) of Heppner: judgment
for $2,272.87.
• Credits Inc. vs. Joseph Gehring
of Hermiston: judgment for $2,851.79.
• Bonneville Billing & Collections
Inc. vs. Annette L. Kruckenberg of
Hermiston: judgment for $884.50.
• Sterling Jewelers inc. dba Kay
Jewelers vs. Faith and Brian Johnson:
seeks $6,123.18.
• Troy Capital LLC vs. Steven
Schoen: seeks $6,384.25.
• Nora L. and James F. Kram-
er vs. Leobardo Jacquez III: seeks
$523.082.61.
• Credits Inc. vs. Elsa G. Bedolla of
Hermiston: judgment for $2,914.64.
DIVORCES
Divorce decrees were signed in
Umatilla County Courts for:
Jason Wesley Blankenship and
Melissa Marie Blankenship of Stan-
field.
• Christopher Lee Barnes of Uma-
tilla vs. Larry Lytle and Elizabeth Fair-
ley: seeks $1.150 million.
• Bank of America N.A. vs. Cyn-
thia R. McEver of Hermiston: seeks
$4,990.83.
MARRIAGES
Marriage licenses have been reg-
istered in Umatilla County for:
Jacob Kyle Burns, 31, and Lindsey
Rae Gibbs, 34, both of Hermiston.
Jesus Daniel Fuentes Cardenas,
37, and Hilda Leon Ortiz, 45, both of
Boardman.
• Synchrony Bank vs. Priscilla Or-
tega of Hermiston: seeks $811.93.
• Vencen Emerald Page of Uma-
tilla vs. Oregon Dept. of Corrections:
seeks $3,700.
• BJK Truck Parts LLC and Linda
Eidson of Hermiston vs. Reser Me-
chanics and James Reser of Hermis-
ton: seeks $6,315.78.
Matthew James Gunter, 22, and
Leslie Sofia Gutierrez, 20, both of
Hermiston.
• Rosa Duarte De Dios of Kenne-
wick, Wash. vs. Martha Echeveria of
Hermiston: seeks $1,000.
Logan Allen Phillips, 32, and Kristy
Elizabeth Hill, 36, both of Umatilla.
Andrew Paul Spears, 34, and Elsy
Beatris Velasquez, 31, both of Herm-
iston.
• Ray Klein Inc. dba Professional
Credit Service vs. Vicki J. Taylor of
Stanfield: seeks $636.42.
JUDGMENTS
Kyle Robert Wilson, 21, and Ayla
Monique Osborn, 23, both of Stan-
field.
The following judgments have
been rendered in Umatilla County
courts (interest, court costs and fees
not listed):
Lauro Ybarra, 52, and Blanca Ortiz
Martinez, 49, both of Irrigon.
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Garrett, Kylie and Madison Nichols
Shannon Nichols
Austin, Justin and Laiklyn Fields
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