Cops and Courts: April 21, 2021

Published 12:00 pm Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agencies. Every effort is made to report the court disposition of arrest cases.

Grant County Circuit Court

Jared J. Baker, 25, pleaded guilty on April 15 to a count of furnishing alcohol to a person under 21. He was ordered to pay a $440 fine.

Brady K. Burch, 23, pleaded guilty on April 15 to a count of fourth degree assault constituting domestic violence and a count of menacing constituting domestic violence, both committed on Dec. 30. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 36 months of bench probation, 80 hours of community service and ordered to pay $600 fines and fees. Counts of strangulation, pointing a firearm at another and harassment were dismissed.

Steven M. Warrington, 31, pleaded guilty on April 15 to a count of criminal driving while suspended or revoked committed on Dec. 15. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 18 months of bench probation and 40 hours of community service.

Grant County Sheriff

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported the following for the week of April 14:

Concealed handgun licenses: 9

Average inmates: 7

Bookings: 3

Releases: 3

Arrests: 2

Citations: 5

Fingerprints: 2

Civil papers: 20

Warrants processed: 1

Assistance/Welfare check: 0

Search and Rescue: 0

Christian Wallace, 19, Anderson, California, was cited for driving uninsured, careless driving and minor in possession of marijuana.

Charlotte Dougharity, 75, of Mt. Vernon was cited for violation of basic rule, 74/55 zone.

Bradley Jones, 29, of Redmond was cited for violation of basic rule, 85/65 zone.

Svetlana Izotov, 21, Vancouver, Washington, was cited for violation of basic rule, 71/55 zone.

Dakoda Cazier, 25, of John Day was cited for offensive littering.

Grant County Justice Court

Driving uninsured: Thomas E. Pfeifer, 51, Prairie City, Nov. 26, fined $135.

Thomas E. Pfeifer pleaded guilty April 5 to a count of driving while suspended. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail, 18 months of probation, 20 hours of community service and ordered to pay $2,460 in fines. The fines can be waived upon successful completion of probation.

Oregon State Police

April 4: A state trooper was stopped on the side of Laycock Creek Road near milepost 2. The trooper heard what sounded like a motorcycle engine at high RPMs approaching his location from the north. The motorcycle came over a hill with zero sight distance. Additionally, the pavement ends at the right side of the lane of travel and transitions immediately to loose gravel. Using rear radar, the trooper got a speed reading of 95 mph. The motorcycle rapidly decelerated. The trooper stopped the motorcycle and contacted the driver, Connor M. White, 19. The trooper arrested White for reckless driving. After the arrest, White told the trooper that he was riding by only using one hand and resting his other hand on his hip. Frontier Towing responded and removed the motorcycle. The trooper transported White to the Grant County Jail where he was lodged and issued citations for reckless driving and speeding, 95/55 zone. Upon review of the trooper’s body camera footage, which captured the radar reading, the trooper saw the top speed of the motorcycle was actually 97 mph.

April 6: A traffic stop was conducted on a westbound vehicle for speed. Tristin S. Brannon, 26, was issued a citation for violation of the basic rule, failure to carry insurance and driving while suspended. The back seat passenger, Jubal L. Wheeldon, 32, was arrested on multiple felony warrants.

April 9: A state trooper responded to a report of a crashed vehicle in a creek near milepost 94 on Highway 26. When the trooper arrived, the driver, Leo R. Placencia, 76, was being treated by medical personnel. Placencia was transported to Blue Mountain Hospital for treatment. Frontier Towing responded and removed the vehicle from the creek. During the course of medical treatment, BMH staff drew a blood sample and analyzed it. Hospital staff advised that Placencia’s blood alcohol content was 0.15%. By the time the trooper arrived at the hospital, Placencia had been discharged. OSP contacted Placencia at his residence and issued him a citation for driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving.

April 10: A state trooper stopped a vehicle at milepost 174 on Highway 26 for a speed violation. As the trooper approached the vehicle, the driver switched seats with the female passenger. The driver admitted to switching, saying the female told him to. The trooper smelled a slight odor of burnt marijuana. The trooper asked the driver, John A. Lee, 60, South Lake Tahoe, California, when he last smoked marijuana, and he told the trooper a couple hours earlier. Lee had glassy, bloodshot eyes and droopy eyelids. Lee consented to field sobriety tests where the trooper saw further indicators of impairment. The trooper arrested Lee and transported him to the Grant County Jail. The licensed passenger took possession of the vehicle. Lee provided a blood alcohol content sample of 0.00%. Lee provided a urine sample, but refused to participate in a DRE evaluation. OSP issued Lee a citation for DUII-Controlled Substance and lodged him in the jail.

April 14: OSP investigated a single motor vehicle rollover crash with minor injuries on Highway 26, near milepost 142. The single occupant, a 17-year-old female driver, swerved to avoid a collision with a deer and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle left the eastbound shoulder of the roadway, rolling several times and coming to rest on its driver’s side, pointed towards the north. The vehicle was towed to an adjacent property. The driver suffered only minor abrasions and refused medical attention.

Dispatch

John Day dispatch worked 154 calls during the week of April 12-18, including:

• John Day Police Department

April 13: Received an animal complaint. Subject cited for maintaining dog as a nuisance on Northwest Third Avenue.

April 13: Responded to a report of a truck driving on the Davis Creek Walking Trail.

April 14: Responded to a commercial burglar alarm on Apple Road.

April 14: Robert J. Bryant Jr., 23, was cited for driving while suspended and uninsured.

April 18: Gage Lambeth, 21, of John Day was cited for driving while suspended and with no insurance at Seventh Street Park.

• Oregon State Police

April 16: Received a report of an injured animal on Highway 26 near milepost 138.

• Grant County Sheriff’s Office

April 13: Received a report of a possible vehicle theft on Aslin Road.

April 14: Received a report of a scam in Prairie City.

April 14: Driver warned for blocking the roadway.

April 14: Along with the JDPD, responded to a trespassing complaint on South Humbolt Street.

April 15: Received a report of a theft on Nugget Street.

April 16: Search and rescue responded to a stranded motorist in the Malheur National Forest.

April 18: Cited Felipe D. Martinez, 29, of Ontario for driving while suspended and uninsured.

• John Day ambulance

April 13: Caregivers were contacted on behalf of a Valley View Resident. John Day ambulance was requested for a resident who had fallen.