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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 8, 2018)
A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018 LOCAL Police say Hermiston shooting suspect bit officer on thumb HERMISTON HERALD PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY NWIC8 Firefighters work on the Wilson Prairie fire in south Morrow County. A ‘thank you’ to firefighters By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER When it seems like the entire state is on fire, it’s only natural that people want to show their support to the firefighters working to keep the flames at bay. Christie Shaw of the Oregon Department of For- estry said simple thank-yous are often enough. Person- nel working on the Wilson Prairie fire in south Mor- row County have men- tioned community mem- bers and tourists thanking them at a local restaurant, and crews on large wildfires will often see hand-written signs posted in communi- ties thanking them for their service. “I know that’s meaning- ful to them,” she said. Families displaced by wildfires often need sup- plies as they wait out in the fire and in some cases find they have no home to return to. Firefighters on large wildland fires, on the other hand, are “fully com- pensated and supported” for their work, including water and meals at the fire camp that the Department of For- estry has budgeted for. Shaw said while fire- fighters “love to feel that they’re valued,” it tends to make more sense to check in with smaller rural fire departments — which often run on volunteers — with more limited budgets to ask if there is anything they need help with, rather than dropping off donations unannounced at govern- ment-run fire camps. One year, for example, a com- munity ended up dropping off “crates and crates of socks” to a fire camp even though firefighters were well-stocked with socks already. Danny Palomino of Hermiston is trying to go the rural support route by start- ing a Facebook page called “Watch my 6 I got yours” this week. He said he hopes to serve as a focal point for people to drop off dona- tions they want to give, and then he can contact agen- cies in Umatilla and Mor- row counties and see if they are running low on any of those supplies, instead of a stream of community mem- bers dropping by fire sta- tions unannounced. “It’s been pretty horrible with all of these fires lately, and I know people want to help but they feel helpless,” he said. He said he traveled to the Eagle Creek fire in the Columbia Gorge last sum- mer to drop off Gold Bond, baby wipes and “pocket snacks” but had a lot of dif- ficulty getting through to deliver them, which is why he thought coordinating with local fire departments was a better route. Umatilla County Fire District 1 operations chief Jim Forquer said the district has had to turn down some offers of support lately, but he hoped people understood it was because the district was incredibly busy and not because they weren’t grateful. “We’re really apprecia- tive of our relationship with the community,” he said. “It doesn’t go unnoticed.” Forquer said the public can be a huge help to fire- fighters by paying atten- tion while driving and get- ting out of the way quickly when a truck or ambulance comes through with lights and sirens. He said the very biggest thing people can do to sup- port the fire district was to stay safe — including pre- cautions such as wear- ing life jackets and staying hydrated — and do every- thing in their power to pre- vent fires. “We’ve had several fires where folks weren’t follow- ing the burn ban, and that creates an additional work load,” he said. Alex Luis Ahumada of Boardman pleaded not guilty on Aug. 1 to assault and other charges stem- ming from the shooting of a man in May in Herm- iston. He also faces new charges for biting a Pend- leton officer while naked. Pendleton police Lt. Charles Byram said offi- cers on July 28 responded to a report of stranger banging on the door, yell- ing and acting erratic. Offi- cers spotted the suspect in a field behind the C M Sau- sage Co. at 1140 Tutuilla Road near Southwest Mar- shall Avenue in Pendleton. Ahumada was naked, Byram said, under the influence of some sub- stance and in a state of “excited delirium.” Police tried to detain Ahumada, and one officer recognized him because there was a warrant for his arrest. “Then the fight was on,” Byram said. “It took four officers just to get him under control, and during the confrontation he bit one of the officers.” The victim was J.D. Lambert, and the injury was to his thumb. He went back to work after receiv- ing medical treatment. Police hauled Ahu- mada to St. Anthony Hos- pital, Pendleton, due to his intoxicated state. Byram said officers kept a watch on him there until Aug. 1, when they booked him into the Umatilla County Jail, Pendleton, on multiple charges, including resit- ing arrest, interfering with police, attempted escape and assaulting a police officer. Ahumada, 33, was in Umatilla County Cir- cuit Court, Hermiston on Aug. 1 to face charges of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The state alleged Ahumada on May 19 shot and injured Carlos Antonio Ramirez, 27, of Hermiston. Police first captured Ahumada on May 23 after he barricaded himself inside a Boardman home. “It took four officers just to get him under control, and during the confrontation he bit one of the officers.” Lt. Charles Byram, Pendleton police The grand jury handed up the assault charges stem- ming from the shooting July 26 after hearing from police and other witnesses, including Ramirez, accord- ing to the indictment. Circuit Judge Dan Hill set Ahumada’s bail at $500,000. The next hear- ing in the case is Aug. 13. Court records also show Ramirez has two cases pending in Uma- tilla County for second-de- gree theft. The state alleges Ramirez stole merchandise worth $100 or more from the Hermiston Walmart on June 23, July 7 and July 10. . 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