2A • September 18, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Man involved in Seaside hammer attack gets over 5 years
By Kyle Spurr
EO Media Group
A Seaside man involved
in a hammer attack against
another man was sentenced
Friday, Sept. 11, in Clatsop
County Circuit Court to more
than ¿ve years in prison.
Joshua Lee Fitch, 23, plead-
ed no contest to a lesser charge
of second-degree assault.
He was originally charged
with attempted murder,
robbery, criminal conspir-
acy and theft. The charges
were dropped through a plea
agreement.
In February, Seaside
Police responded to Prov-
JOSHUA LEE FITCH
idence Seaside Hospital
after receiving a report of
a man who had suffered a
serious head injury.
The man reported be-
ing assaulted with ham-
mers by two other men,
later identified as Fitch
and Kevin Michael Burn-
ham.
Fitch and Burnham
were arrested a week later
in Seaside after a police
investigation.
Prosecutor
Dave
Goldthorpe said the two
men tried to rob or steal
from the victim in what
appeared to be a drug deal
situation. The two went
after the victim and frac-
tured his skull, which re-
quired expensive medical
treatments to save his life.
“It’s due to the extreme
measures taken by medical
staff that (Fitch) was not
facing a murder conviction
on this,” Goldthorpe said.
In court Friday, Fitch’s
defense lawyer James Lee
von Boeckmann said fur-
ther investigation showed
the two men did go after the
victim, but it was Burnham
who had the hammer and
began wailing on the vic-
tim. Burnham stopped hit-
ting the man only because
Fitch intervened.
“I saved his life. I really
did. I didn’t take the steps
to call police to go get him,
but I do believe I saved his
life,” Fitch said. “I told the
truth and gave evidence and
it doesn’t matter. I’m still
getting ¿ve years.”
Fitch said he had never
met Burnham until the day
of the attack.
“He was just in my car
and he asked me to give
him a ride somewhere and
that’s how it started,” Fitch
said.
Judge Cindee Matyas
explained to Fitch how he
should not have been in
that situation. She ordered
him to have no contact with
Burnham or the victim, as
part of the 70-month sen-
tence.
“Consequences are huge,”
she said.
Fitch also pleaded no
contest Friday to posses-
sion of methamphetamine
from an earlier case.
Last month, Burnham,
25, pleaded guilty to sec-
ond-degree robbery from
the hammer attack. He also
pleaded guilty to ¿rst-de-
gree attempted escape from
Clatsop County Jail and
to possession of metham-
phetamine from a previous
case.
A sentencing hearing for
Burnham is scheduled Sept.
25 in Clatsop County Cir-
cuit Court.
SEASIDE POLICE LOG
Aug. 21
11:43 a.m., 400 block of South
Holladay Drive: Caller had ques-
tions regarding possible illegal
activity in his residence. Officer
advised.
2:19 p.m., 800 block of South
Roosevelt Drive: 911 caller
reported subject with a warrant
just left her business. Officers
searched the area, but were
unable to locate him.
7:02 p.m., Broadway: Third-party
reporting disturbance at his
business with vague information.
Officer responded and advised
verbal disturbance over policy
and party had left and was un-
able to be located.
2:22 p.m., U.S. Highway 101: 911
caller with medical emergency
stuck in traffic trying to get to
the hospital. Medix was unable
to locate patient. Upon callback,
caller reported they arrived at
the Emergency Room.
8:27 p.m., Queen Street: Caller
reported backyard fire. Officer
made contact with responsible
and fire was extinguished.
4:56 p.m., Broadway: Caller
reporting man with long beard
yelling at the Turnaround.
Officers responded, male was
preaching the Gospel, not caus-
ing any problems or blocking
the sidewalk.
Aug. 22
2:02 p.m., Beach: 911 caller
reported transients on the beach
drinking and smoking marijua-
na, and a possible young teen
passed out. Lifeguard on the
beach responded; nobody was
passed out; no observation of
public marijuana smoking. All
appeared OK.
10:06 p.m., North Prom: Caller
requested trespass for transient
sleeping on the property. Offi-
cers delivered trespass notice.
Aug. 23
12 a.m., Avenue A: Officer
contacted intoxicated male.
Responsible was with him. They
were waiting for a taxi.
4:56 p.m., Lewis and Clark Road:
Report of neighbor seen crawling
through crawl space at apartment.
Officer responded; hole too small
for a human to crawl through.
9:51 p.m., Downing Street and
First Avenue: Officer responded
to report of person acting erratic,
wearing just boxer shorts. Upon
officer arrival, subject was not in
the area. Gone upon arrival.
Aug. 24
12:46 a.m., Beach: Officers
responded to report of people
in lifeguard tower. Upon officer
contact, subjects were warned of
trespass.
1:36 a.m., 400 block of Franklin
Street: Officers made contact after
911 hang-up call. Upon contact,
subject was intoxicated and
warned for disorderly conduct.
8:44 p.m., 400 block of
Avenue T: Officer responded
report of illegal campfire in
backyard. Upon officer arrival,
responsible person put out
fire.
Aug. 25
3 a.m., Turnaround: Caller report-
ed possible kids with stick on fire.
Officer advised it is a battery-pow-
ered light.
9:23 p.m., 2500 block of South
Roosevelt Drive: Officer assisted
with combative patient that was
transported to hospital by Medix.
11:03 p.m., U.S. Highway 101
Northbound: Officer advised
of traffic complaint that 911
caller was not sure if it went U.S.
Highway 26 or U.S. Highway 101
and unsure of plate. Officer out of
position at time of call.
11:28 p.m., 1100 block of South
Downing Street: Officer respond-
ed to an anonymous report of
verbal disturbance. Upon officer
arrival, location of disturbance
could not be located.
The Seaside Signal is published every other week by EO Media Group, 1555 N. Roosevelt,
Seaside Oregon 97138. 503-738-5561. www.seasidesignal.com
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