2A • February 2, 2018 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Former Seaside Heights custodian
charged with child sex abuse
By Jack Heffernan
‘We are very
saddened for
the victim and
the victim’s
family. It is also
a difficult time
for the school
community.’
EO Media Group
A Seaside man was arrest-
ed Thursday, Jan. 18, for al-
legedly molesting a child on
several occasions.
The allegations are based
on several incidents from
2007 to 2011 when the child
was between the ages of 5-
and 9-years-old. Seaside po-
lice arrested Keith Davis, 46,
who has been charged with
five counts of first-degree
sexual abuse and five counts
of first-degree sodomy.
Davis is a former custodian
at Seaside Heights Elemen-
tary School. Police say they
do not believe he was using
Keith Davis
his position with the school
to gain access to the victim in
this case.
“We are very saddened for
the victim and the victim’s
family,” Seaside School Dis-
trict Superintendent Sheila
Roley said. “It is also a diffi-
Sheila Roley,
Seaside School District
Superintendent
cult time for the school com-
munity. We are maintaining a
normal schedule and routine
for our students and staff, and
have support staff available
if needed to work with any
individual concerns. We ask
everyone’s support in allow-
ing our students’ education to
continue without disruption.”
Davis is being held at
the Clatsop County Jail on
$500,000 bail. His arraign-
ment is scheduled for later
this month if indicted.
“If anyone does believe
any similar incidents did oc-
cur based on his employment
at the school, they are encour-
aged to come forward,” Dep-
uty District Attorney Dawn
Buzzard said.
Those with further infor-
mation are advised to call
Seaside Police Detective Bill
Barnes at 503-738-6311.
R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL
Justin Gagnon is sworn in by Chief Dave Ham. Gagnon’s
wife Shelby looks on.
New Seaside officer sworn in
Seaside Signal
Justin Gagnon was sworn
in as a Seaside police of-
ficer at the Monday, Jan.
22, City Council meeting.
With the hiring of Gagnon,
this fills the final vacancy on
the department, which has
High tides lead to citywide precautions
Seaside Signal
SEASIDE PUBLIC WORKS
Flooding in the parking lot by the Cove.
Seaside braced itself
Thursday, Jan. 18, as the Na-
tional Weather Service warned
of dangerous high surf and
beach erosion through the day.
The parking lot at the Cove
was closed at about 11:30
a.m. in expectation of high
waves and the Public Works
Department built up a berm at
the Turnaround to protect the
bathrooms.
Early in the afternoon, high
water crossed the parking lot
at the Cove. There was no re-
ported damage.
Rains also posed flooding
risks.
“If the river comes up, at
some point there’s no place for
the water to go,” Public Works
Director Dale McDowell said.
As of Jan. 28, Astoria had
seen more than 10 inches of
rain in the month, about an
inch more than average.
been seeking to fill positions
for about two years, Police
Chief Dave Ham said. “Over
the past couple of years,
we’ve had five, six positions
to fill,” he said. “It shows you
how long it takes to fill some
jobs for the police department.
We’re glad to have him here.”
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TIRES/WHEELS
Seaside man charged with generator
fraud after Superstorm Sandy
Associated Press
WESTPORT, CONN., POLICE DEPARTMENT
John Mech
STAMFORD, Conn. — A
Seaside man has been charged
with stealing deposits Con-
necticut homeowners had
made for generators after Su-
perstorm Sandy.
The Stamford Advocate
reported that 56-year-old John
Mech took a $7,500 deposit
from a Stamford homeowner
for a generator in February
2013. The homeowner called
Mech multiple times but nev-
er received the generator.
Police say they received
three other complaints from
homeowners who paid Mech
for generators that were nev-
er installed. Investigators say
Mech’s company was not reg-
istered in the state.
Authorities say Mech told
investigators his wife used the
deposits for gambling.
Mech’s attorney said
during an arraignment hear-
ing last week his client has al-
ready paid restitution for three
cases with the hope that Mech
will face a lesser penalty. He
was held on $50,000 bond.
12:00 a.m., 200 block 17th
Avenue: Officers conduct a
welfare check on a citizen after
a neighbor thought suspicious
activity had occurred at the
residence. The person was fine
and nothing was suspicious.
1:01 a.m., 1600 block S.
Roosevelt: A missing person is
reported.
8:33 p.m., Seaside police
headquarters: Sex crimes are
reported.
Jan. 18
3:54 a.m., N. Holladay Drive:
Citizen calls to report their boat
lost, floated away or sunk due
to stormy weather.
8:56 a.m., 900 block Avenue S:
Menacing and harassment are
reported.
4:30 p.m., 2000 block N. Roos-
evelt: Police do a welfare check
on a person being evicted who
was described by the reporting
party as “losing it.” Police find
him chopping up his unwanted
furniture in order to more easily
dispose of it. The subject was
deemed to not be a danger to
himself, or others.
10:26 a.m., 800 block Broad-
way: A person reported their
imaginary friend had been
stabbed; the complainant is
known to have mental health
issues. He was playing with
a knife when police arrived.
Police relieved him of his knife
for safekeeping.
‘Jan. 15
Jan. 19
2:26 p.m., Avenue A: Caller
reports someone riding a razor
skateboard on the sidewalk. No
skateboarders were observed
by police in the area.
9:17 a.m., First Avenue: A
mother reports her daughter
is making suicidal comments
over the phone. Police locate
the daughter in a hotel. She
says she is fine and not thinking
of self harm.
Jan. 16
1:27 p.m., 1200 block S. Wah-
anna: An assault in the fourth
degree is reported.
3:26 p.m., OceanWay bath-
room: Police assist with a
suicidal subject.
Jan. 20
7:15 p.m., Chamber restroom:
Officer locking up public re-
strooms discovered two people
in the same stall. They were
advised to move on.
6:22 p.m., 700 block S. Wah-
anna: An assault in the second
degree is reported.
9:55 p.m., 17th Avenue: A per-
son is arrested on a warrant.
6:32 p.m., Whispering Pines: A
person is arrested on a warrant.
Jan. 21
Jan. 17
3:30 p.m., Seaside police
headquarters: Sex crimes are
reported.
2:20 a.m., Broadway: Police
respond to a couple fighting
in their hotel room. After speak-
ing with police, the woman
said she would leave the room
and stay with a friend staying
in another room. The caller
was highly intoxicated. He told
police he would refrain from
engaging in further distur-
bances.
11:09 a.m., 1900 block Spruce
Drive: A person is arrested and
charged with child neglect in
the second degree.
7 p.m., 400 block S. Holladay:
Caller reports a new neighbor
was exceedingly rude to her
husband. She reported “a lot
of traffic” coming in and out
of that neighbor’s unit. She
requested police speak to the
neighbor. Police were unable to
make contact.
9:22 p.m., 1200 S. Holladay: An
employee of a coffee shop re-
ported a man who put his hand
in her tip jar. The man took off,
but then came back and asked
her to open a window to hand
him something. She requested
police trespass him from the
business as this is not the first
time he exhibited odd behav-
ior. The officer stood by as she
locked up for the night and
escorted her to her vehicle.
Jan. 22
7:46 a.m., 400 block First
Avenue: An intoxicated woman
sitting in a mud puddle in the
Convention Center parking lot
was given a courtesy lift back to
her accommodation.
9:52 a.m., 400 block First Ave-
nue: A subject was arrested on
a warrant, charged with giving
false information to the police,
as well as failure to update their
register.
3:50 p.m., 1900 Spruce Drive:
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POLICE LOG
Jan. 14
DEL’S O.K. TIRE
Assault in the fourth degree
reported.
8:24 p.m., 700 block 24th Av-
enue: A person is arrested and
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Jan. 23
10:33 a.m., 500 block S. Holl-
aday Drive: A person arrested
and charged for possession of
methamphetamine.
3:18 p.m., 400 block S. Holla-
day: A woman reported to be
walking in the rain and yelling
was given a courtesy ride to
Helping Hands.
5:52 p.m., 1900 N. Holladay: A
missing person is reported.
Jan. 24
11:12 a.m., Fourth Avenue: Po-
lice check on a person reported
by a third party to be possibly
suicidal. The subject was fine
and with a family member.
12:53 p.m., 3200 block
Bayview Terrace: A runaway is
reported.
1:15 p.m., The Relief Pitcher: A
person arrested on a warrant.
10:24 p.m., 200 block Broad-
way: Police respond to a report
of an intoxicated subject said
to be removing his clothes and
acting bizarrely. Subject was
given a courtesy ride back to
his accommodation.
Jan. 25
7:40 p.m., 1500 block S. Roo-
sevelt: A loose dog picked up
by police and transported to
the kennel was retrieved and
successfully reunited with its
owner.
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