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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 31, 2019)
NEWS A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2019 Sheriff’s offi ce seeking missing man HERMISTON HERALD The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce was search- ing for three local men — Dylan Jonathan Chris- tensen, Jason Edward Moore and Casey Hale — Monday, but two have been found. The department reported Monday morning that Christensen, 27, of Irri- gon, pointed a black AR-15 rifl e at someone in the area of 32293 West Progress Road, Hermiston, at around 6:45 p.m. Sunday. He fi red the rifl e into a fi eld, accord- ing to the sheriff’s offi ce. The Oregon State Police, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Ser- vice, Umatilla and Stanfi eld police departments, and the sheriff’s drone searched the area Sunday but were unable to fi nd Christensen. He was located Monday evening by sheriff’s deputies at a residence on Progress Road in Hermiston. After an investigation, he was taken into custody and lodged at the Umatilla County Jail on multiple charges, including menacing, second-degree Christensen Moore disorderly conduct, point- ing a fi rearm at another, and attempted unlawful use of a weapon. The sheriff’s offi ce was still looking for a man miss- ing in Umatilla as of Tues- day afternoon. Deputies around 1 p.m. Police say latest report reveals drop in violent crimes Nineteen violent crimes have been reported so far this year By JESSICA POLLARD STAFF WRITER Violent crime decreased and traffi c stops, arrests and information requests have increased so far in 2019, according to the Hermiston Police Department’s second quarter crime report. Reports of violent crimes between January and June have decreased by 39%, with 19 violent crimes reported so far this year, despite the population of Hermiston increasing by 12.3% since 2010. Chief Jason Edmiston said that historically, Herm- iston has a relatively low violent crime rate with a higher property crime rate, possibly because HPD takes all property crime reports. “Bad things do happen, we’ve been fortunate they don’t happen with great fre- quency,” Edmiston said. Traffi c stops increased by 10% compared to the fi rst half of 2018, but are still down by 6% over the 10-year average. “Last year we were plagued with injuries and ill- ness, so our patrol was run- ning pretty ragged some- times,” Edmiston said. Edmiston said that this year, the traffi c offi cer was able to focus solely on traffi c calls and stops, which likely contributed to the uptick. So far this year, the HPD has made 674 arrests, up from 608 at this time last year, marking an 11% increase. Up 2% from last year, case investigations this year have incurred a 10% increase over the 10-year average. An administrative sec- ond quarter report released by HPD revealed an 88% increase in information requests. Edmiston said the depart- ment collects raw data on information, but that he didn’t know exactly what was causing the increase. He said some of the increase could be caused by records requests from state agencies. “What we’re seeing is not sustainable,” he said. Having received nearly 2,500 requests this year, Edmiston said the depart- ment will consider reduc- ing the amount of hours the lobby window at the sta- tion is open. He said traffi c at the window can interfere with other tasks, such as fol- lowing up on information requests. Police catch Hermiston man who taunted them on Facebook HERMISTON HERALD A Hermiston man’s gloating on Face- book over escaping arrest was short-lived. Aaren Antheny Rivera Barrera, 27, was arrested July 23 in the Hermiston Walmart parking lot on a warrant for felony parole violation. He is in Umatilla County Jail without bail. Barrera ran and successfully hid from Hermiston Police Department offi cers four days earlier when they attempted to serve the arrest warrant. He celebrated by brag- ging on Whats Happening Hermiston, a popular community Facebook page. Calling out Offi cer Mike Ellwood “and his lil’ goons” in a profanity-laced post, he wrote “YOU COULDN’T CATCH ME TODAY EVEN WHEN YOU HAD AN ARMY WITH YOU TIME TO PLAY MARCO POLO.” Many of the commenters on the post, which has since been deleted, expressed their hope that police would fi nd Bar- rera soon. On July 23 they got their wish, as an offi cer spotted Barrerra in a Mer- cedes-Benz driven by Austin Leroy James, who was also wanted on a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant, in the Walmart parking lot. Both men were arrested and taken to jail. The police department celebrated with a Facebook post showing a picture of Bar- rera in the back of a patrol car . the water and while oth- ers checked Moore’s last known address in Hermis- ton. Associates of Moore reported they had not seen him since July 9 and his current whereabouts were unknown. The sheriff’s offi ce reported it considers Moore is missing and possibly in danger, and asked anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the 24-hour dispatch cen- ter and reference case No. 19-1027. In the third case, Hale, S u n d a y responded to the area near the nature trails just north of Third Hale Street and Scapplehorn Road along the Colum- bia River in Umatilla after a citizen who was picking blackberries found a stack of clothing, a cellphone and a wallet with identifi cation belonging to Moore, 45, along with a suicide note. Marine deputies searched 18, of Milton-Freewater was missing, but the sher- iff’s offi ce later posted on Facebook that he had been found and was “fi ne.” The sheriff’s offi ce ini- tially reported Hale had been last seen on Friday at around 11 a.m. He was driving a black 2013 Ford Edge on Mill Creek Road, near Camp Kiwanis at the Oregon-Washington bor- der. The vehicle was found unoccupied and crashed approximately 20 feet off the roadway near 61463 Mill Creek Road. Three arrested on drug charges HERMISTON HERALD The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Offi ce arrested three people Saturday on drug charges. The sheriff’s offi ce in a news release reported deputies conducted a search of a residence at 1735 N.E. Second St., Hermiston. During the search, deputies found meth- amphetamine, heroin and marijuana, along with evidence of drug sales, packaging materials and drug paraphernalia. Following the search, deputies arrested Christina Lyn Connors, 34, of Portland, for possession and delivery of methamphet- amine and heroin, and Leah Renee Obrien, 50, of Hermiston for possession of a con- trolled substance. Information from the incident led depu- Connors Obrien Creason ties later that day to 1072 W. Orchard Ave., No. D6, Hermiston, where they arrested Damion Nathaniel Creason, 28, of Port- land, on a felony arrest warrant for a pro- bation violation. He now also faces charges for possession and delivery of a controlled substance, methamphetamine and heroin. The trio was behind bars at the Umatilla County Jail but were released. The sheriff’s offi ce reported the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible. Hermiston area man arrested in Tillamook HERMISTON HERALD Timothy Allen Kelly, of Hermiston, was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force on July 23 on charges including theft and burglary, as well as fi rst-de- gree arson. He was sent to the Tilla- mook County Jail, awaiting transfer to Umatilla County. The Hermiston Police Department thinks that on Aug. 14, 2018, Kelly threw an explosive device through a window at 1100 West Sun- land Ave. at 4:30 a.m. Hermiston Police Chief Jason Edmiston said at the time, the HPD had issues getting someone to accept ownership of the residence following the owner’s arrest and imprisonment for assault charges. No inuries were reported. Hermiston, Oregon Thank you to the following businesses for supporting Newspapers in Education Their generous support of the Hermiston Herald NIE program helps provide copies of the newspaper and unlimited access to HermistonHerald.com and the e-Edition to to schools schools throughout throughout the the community. community. 1090 W. Hermiston Ave. Hermiston, OR 541-567-8229 JeremyJLarsonDMD.com 1739 N. 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Hermiston, Hermiston, OR OR 97838 97838 541-567-5842 541-567-5842 YOUR BUSINESS HERE: Call Today & Donate! 800-522-0255 1705 E. Airport Rd. Hermiston, OR 97838 541-289-9800 541-289-9800 eotechermiston.com eotechermiston.com For more information on the NIE Program, visit HermistonHerald.com/hh/nie. To make make a a donation, donation, call call 800-522-0255. 800-522-0255. Bulls. Broncs. Music. Drinks. Dancing. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Family Night Youth Night Ladies Night Columbia Basin Party Night $5 tickets for kids 12 & under. Rodeo tickets include admission into the Umatilla County Fair. A night designed to support FFA & our youth. Rodeo action & complimentary wine tasting. Music, drinks, and dancing at Chute 8 after the rodeo. Aug. 7-10, 2019 TICKETS ON SALE NOW! www.FarmCityProRodeo.com Admission to Umatilla County Fair included with purchase. 1705 E Airport Rd, Hermiston, OR 541-564-8500 General Seating Handicapped Seating Handicapped Companion Seating Child (Wednesday) Military (Thursday) Reserved Seating $17 $17 $17 $5 $10 $20